


Naïvety Makes for the Best Flirt

by Anonymous



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Also Black Doom, Blaze and Silver are very close friends, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mentions of Maria & Gerald Robotnik, Rouge is the ultimate shipper, She's the only one who understands just how naive Silver is, Silver is dense as hell, So is Sonic, an attempt at slowburn, but in a good way, lots of misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:01:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 35,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24314728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Not wanting to deal with loneliness anymore in the future, Silver goes back in time to befriend Shadow, the only person he recognizes who is still alive in his time. Shadow, however, proves to be a very difficult person to crack.With some help from Rouge and a lot of persistence, Silver slowly starts melting Shadow’s cold exterior, but his inexperience with friendly relationships ends up coming across as the complete opposite of wanting a platonic relationship to the ebony hedgehog.
Relationships: Shadow the Hedgehog/Silver the Hedgehog
Comments: 110
Kudos: 191
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Unexpected Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there! This is my first time posting on AO3 and writing for the Sonic fandom.
> 
> I will warn you right now, I'm more of a casual Sonic fan, and I've only played the classic games. I know the basic characterizations of most characters from the games, and I hope you don't find them too OOC. 
> 
> I also know that this is a pretty small ship, but I hope enough of you like my writing for me to continue updating. 
> 
> Enjoy!

It's cold.

Silver lets out an exhausted sigh, his breath crystallizing into a small cloud as it leaves his lips. He's not bothered by the cold thanks to his thick fur, but he is being bothered by something much colder than the weather at the moment.

Solitude.

Silver has friends in the past, sure, but in his own time, he's all alone. Maybe that's why he's always here in this specific spot overlooking the city buzzing with people. With his legs dangling off the hillside, Silver can only watch as people go about their business, oblivious to the hedgehog envying them from above. But no matter how jealous he gets, Silver always finds himself coming back out of boredom.

He hates this.

He hates that all his friends live in the past. And to add insult to injury, his best friend isn’t even in the same dimension as him. And as much as he likes going back to visit them, constant time travel is exhausting and leaving the future for too long can result in unwanted butterfly effects. While the future isn’t perfect, it’s still Silver’s home, and he cares about it whether he wants to or not.

“As much as I love visiting the past, I want to be able to enjoy my future too. It just sucks that none of my friends are here anymore.” Silver laments this thought to no one in particular, each word drifting away in a cloud of water vapor. He crosses his arms over his chest and stares up into the cloudy sky, swaying his legs.

Maybe he’s hoping for the world to give him a sign that helps him figure out what to do.

Silver huffs to himself. What a silly thought, to think the world would care about a single, insignificant hedgehog’s wish for friendship. Stretching out his arms, Silver turns back to stare into the city against his better judgement, the pit of loneliness continuing to grow in his chest.

"I'd give anything to have someone here with me in the future."

Letting out a frosty sigh of defeat, Silver's gaze wanders through the crowds of people below him. Silver’s golden eyes glaze over something black in the city, and at first glance he doesn't pay it much mind. Initially, however, Silver has the brief realization that this black figure doesn't seem to blend in with the rest of the crowds. It's the second time Silver happens to catch a glimpse at the figure do his eyes widen in shock.

No, it can't be.

“Shadow?” Silver immediately perks up, rubbing his eyes to make sure he’s not seeing things. Yup, it’s unmistakably the same ebony hedgehog with those unique scarlet stripes from the past, and he’s casually weaving his way through the crowds with that same stoicism Silver remembers.

But what is Shadow doing here in the future?

Silver internally debates going down into the city and approaching Shadow. They aren’t exactly close, and Silver is certain Shadow only sees him as an acquaintance at most. But… Silver can change that. He _wants_ to change that. Maybe the world was listening to him after all.

Maybe this was his sign.

Silver feels himself getting excited, and a smile makes its way onto his lips. He lifts himself up with his psychokinesis and is about to fly towards Shadow when said hedgehog suddenly stops at a street corner and turns his head towards Silver’s general direction.

Silver freezes.

Silver isn’t sure if Shadow is staring directly at him, and Shadow quickly looks away before Silver can confirm or deny the action. A small group of people walk in front of Shadow, and when they pass, Shadow is gone.

Silver stays afloat for a bit before lowering himself onto the ground. His smile quickly drops, and his sorrow returns.

Guess he missed his chance.

But the world provides Silver another chance the very next day while he's free flying near a smaller section of the city. Silver only ever visits the city for the library, and today he wants to do some research on the past in regards to Shadow’s sudden appearance.

Landing in front of the library, Silver goes to open the glass door when someone inside catches his eye. It’s Shadow again, and he’s sitting at a table near the back of the library, barely visible through the rows of bookshelves.

Silver feels his heart start to race in excitement. He can’t waste this second chance! Silver rushes into the library and makes a beeline towards Shadow, all the while making sure Shadow doesn’t leave his sight. Rounding the last corner, Silver smiles when he sees Shadow sitting at a table flipping through a book.

The sight of Shadow clear as day in front of him suddenly makes Silver’s nerves act up. Silver takes a step back, hiding behind a bookshelf, but keeping an eye on Shadow as if to prevent him from disappearing again. He starts fidgeting with his gold rings, his heart pounding against his chest.

_‘Come on, Silver, this isn’t the first time you’ve talked to Shadow. Just… play it cool.’_

Silver takes in a deep breath and lets out a long sigh to calm himself down. He forces himself to step out from the bookshelf and strides straight up to Shadow’s table. Shadow doesn’t seem to notice him so Silver places his hand on the table and leans over.

“Fancy seeing you here.”

Shadow’s ears immediately perk up. He snaps his head up, and it’s in that moment Silver realizes he’s leaning way too close to Shadow. They’re nose to nose with each other, and Shadow is staring at Silver with a bewildered expression, which only adds to Silver’s embarrassment. Silver feels his face heat up, and he quickly leans back to add space between the two of them.

Shadow stares at Silver for a bit until his normal expression (or rather lack of) slowly seeps back onto his features.

“Silver.” Shadow closes his book and pushes it aside, keeping eye contact with Silver. “What brings you here.”

“Um… I live here? Well not here in the library, I just mean in this time, you know? But enough about me. What are you doing here?”

Shadow stays quiet and eyes Silver, studying his face rather meticulously. He then pushes his chair back and stands up, picking up his book.

“That’s for me to know and for you to find out.”

“What- Hey!”

Shadow starts to walk away, but Silver quickly darts in front of him, waving his arms frantically.

“You can’t just leave without giving me an explanation as to why you’re here!”

Shadow raises a brow and pushes past Silver, who follows closely behind.

“I can do as I please.”

“Shadow, please.”

Silver grabs Shadow’s arm, making him flinch. The two come to a halt, and Shadow looks over his shoulder at Silver. His emotions are hiding behind those scarlet eyes of his, but Silver can see something trying to make its way through. Something… warm, maybe even soft.

Silver keeps his grip on Shadow’s arm as he walks around to face him directly, fearing that if he lets go Shadow will disappear forever.

“I’m all alone here. I saw you the other day and felt the need to ask you about your stay here. Whether it’s permanent or just a mission you’re on because I just wanted to see if you’d be willing to try getting closer as friends. Please, I can’t deal with this solitude anymore.”

Shadow stares at Silver wide eyed, and Silver notes that Shadow’s grip on his book tightens. Maybe he's struck a nerve because Shadow is left speechless, something Silver knows isn't normal for his character.

Shadow stares at Silver for what feels like forever, then Shadow finally lets out a sigh of defeat and shrugs off Silver’s hand, averting his gaze as he does so.

“If you really want to know why I’m here, then go back and find out for yourself.” Shadow reaches behind his quills and pulls out a green Chaos Emerald. He hands it to Silver before turning away. “And while you’re at it, I'd like to see you try befriending me back then. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get going.”

Silver watches Shadow drop off his book on a library cart and exit the library. Silver is stunned, and it takes him a good minute to snap out of his trance. He cautiously takes his exit from the library and is not surprised to see that Shadow has disappeared without a trace.

A frigid breeze greets him as he starts walking away from the library, but the Chaos Emerald remains warm in his hand. It’s oddly comforting. Once he's in a clearing, Silver comes to a stop. Smiling to himself, Silver brings the Emerald close and uses his free hand to pull out his own Chaos Emerald. His is a bright cerulean blue and it compliments the bright green of Shadow’s emerald quite nicely. He raises his hands and crosses his arms, holding the Chaos Emeralds up high.

“Chaos Control!”

And just like that, Silver disappears in a flash of light.

Off in the distance, hidden under the shade of a tree, Shadow smirks to himself.


	2. Reintroduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver seems to have forgotten just how cold Shadow can be. Shadow couldn't care less about Silver's sudden appearance in the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seems this story has attracted some interest, so I'll try to update as frequently as I can. 
> 
> Also, my interpretation of Shadow's relationship with Team Dark is going to be different than how I've seen it portrayed in other fics, but do understand that it will serve a purpose in the plot of this story. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Silver is starting to regret searching for Shadow without any help.

It’s been about three days since Silver arrived in the past, and he has yet to have any clue where Shadow could possibly be. Letting out a sigh, Silver takes a seat on a nearby rock and lays his head in his hands.

“Why did I think this would be easy?”

Silver lifts his head and stretches out his arms before looking around to take in his surroundings. It's a lot more colorful here in the past in comparison to the future. Flowers aren't as prevalent in the future and are considered luxuries amongst the wealthy and powerful. There's a yellow flower growing near Silver, and he reaches out to gingerly stroke its petals. If he remembers correctly, Sonic mentioned these specific flowers are called sunflowers, and Silver can see why. They’re very pretty, and Silver wonders if he should take a few back with him to the future.

Before his train of thought gets any traction, however, there’s a sharp crunching of twigs nearby. Silver flinches and jumps to his feet. He holds out his hand, ready to grab whatever made that sound when he hears the sound of metal scraping against itself. He recognized that sound anywhere.

“Eggman.” Or more specifically, one of the doctor’s robots.

Silver looks around frantically, but is unable to see anything. It doesn't help that he's surrounded by thick bush at all sides. There's another snap, and Silver can feel it behind him. Without a second thought, Silver impulsively flings a Psychic Knife towards the sound, cutting through a large portion of the forest. Silver cringes as trees split in half topple over, but he gets into a fighting stance as the area clears, a fierce expression on his face.

That fierceness is quickly erased, however, when a barrage of golden spears just barely miss Silver. He lets out a sharp shriek and quickly throws a force field around himself just in time to protect himself from another attack. Wait… there’s only one person Silver knows who can use this type of attack.

“Shadow! It’s me!” Silver throws his hands out to his sides, expanding his force field and allowing it to burst like a balloon, sending a small shock wave through the forest. Hopefully that’s enough to knock Shadow off his feet.

Silver is left frozen, and he waits a moment before accepting that the coast is clear to approach Shadow. He cautiously walks over to the clearing and pokes his head around, and his heart starts to race when he sees Shadow picking himself up.

Shadow shakes his head and looks over at Silver, and boy does he look irritated.

“What are you doing here, Silver?” Shadow dusts himself off before stomping his way up to Silver, staring him down with burning scarlet eyes.

Silver shrinks back and holds up his hands in defense.

“I-I was looking for you, actually. You see-”

“That’s the stupidest reason for nearly getting yourself killed.” Shadow interrupts Silver, venom lacing his words. “If you wanted to find me, then you could have simply asked Rouge to contact me. Why in your right mind did you think this would be a good idea?”

Shadow towers over Silver, and Silver can only shrink back further. Silver’s heart is pounding against his chest so hard it’s actually starting to hurt his ribcage. Silver’s golden eyes are darting all over the place, doing his best to avoid direct eye contact with Shadow. Something shiny behind Shadow catches Silver’s gaze, and Silver’s eyes widen.

Before Shadow can get another word out, Silver grabs him.

“Watch out!”

Silver practically throws himself into Shadow, knocking both of them off to the side. The two narrowly miss being hit by a laser, and Silver can feel the heat of the beam just barely singe by his quills. They both look at and see Eggman’s robot marching towards them, his mouth gaping open and holding a laser cannon. The crystal cover of the cannon is enough to reveal a Chaos Emerald as the source of its power.

“Let me go!”

Silver snaps back into reality and quickly glances at their position. They’re both on their sides facing each other, but Silver is still cradling Shadow in his arms. Silver quickly lets Shadow go, mumbling an apology, but his words are left unheard as Shadow jumps to his feet and charges the robot.

Silver uses his powers to lift himself up, and he takes a moment to observe Shadow. He moves quite gracefully while fighting, much to the surprise of Silver. It’s probably due to his fighting experience and being the Ultimate Lifeform, and Silver can’t help but admire that. He could learn a thing or two from Shadow, if he manages to make up for this embarrassing encounter.

Shadow is knocked back by the robot’s arm, and he ends up getting thrown into a tree. He lands on his knees and holds his head; that throw must have been enough to daze him. The robot aims its cannon straight for Shadow, and Silver feels his heart skip a beat.

Silver instinctively hurls himself in front of Shadow and throws a shield in front of him as the robot discharges once again. Unfortunately, Silver underestimated just how strong a laser of pure Chaos energy would be. While his shield reflects back the laser, he’s pushed back by the sheer force, and he’s forced to dig his boots into the dirt to keep his ground.

As he’s straining to keep his footing, his shield is pushed forward.

Silver sees Shadow out of the corner of his eye pushing the shield towards the robot, and Shadow’s intention immediately translates for Silver. Silver closes his eyes and focuses all his energy on his shield, and when his eyes snap open, his shield curves toward the robot. Maybe it’s the fact that Silver’s mind is too focused on holding his shield, but Silver could have sworn he saw Shadow smirk out of his peripheral vision. Together, they push the cyan shield and direct the robot’s own laser back at itself.

The laser cuts right through the robot, and the crystal cover containing the Chaos Emerald begins to crack. The robot continues to try and blast through Silver’s shield, but its effort is futile. With one last push, the laser blows off the robot’s head and the crystal cover shatters.

Once the robot crashes to the ground, Silver finally releases his shield and collapses onto his knees. His head is spinning, and his heart is slamming against his chest, but they did it.

“I’ll admit, that display of power was rather impressive, but that doesn’t excuse the fact you practically barged into my mission unannounced.”

Silver looks up to see Shadow giving him a side glare, but the gleam in his eyes isn’t as hateful as Silver had been expecting. If anything, his fury has downgraded to mild annoyance, and frankly, Silver is more than happy to be an annoyance at that moment. Taking in a deep breath, Silver picks himself up and dusts himself off.

“I guess I have some fault in showing up randomly, but hey, at least we managed to defeat the robot together.”

“It was my mission to eliminate it. I didn’t need your help, but it was appreciated nonetheless.” Shadow averts his eyes during the last part of his sentence, and Silver can’t help but feel proud of himself. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to report back to G.U.N.”

“What about the Chaos Emerald inside the robot?”

“It wasn’t part of my mission. It’s all yours.” Shadow turns around and begins to walk away.

“Wait! I still need to talk to you about why I’m here. Just let me grab the emerald real quick, and we can walk together until we reach the end of the forest.”

Shadow pauses to think over Silver’s proposal, and after a while he lets out a groan.

“Fine, but hurry up.”

Silver nods and walks over to the robot, careful of its sharp edges. He uses his psychokinesis to clear the cannon of crystal shards, and once it's clear, he reaches it and grabs the emerald. When he tries to pull out the emerald, however, Silver finds that he can’t. It’s stuck in the machine, and Silver groans to himself. He focuses his powers onto his hand and in one swift jerk, Silver yanks out the emerald.

“Aha!” Silver holds up the golden Chaos Emerald for Shadow to see, who only rolls his eyes at Silver’s enthusiasm.

“Great. Now let’s get going before I change my mind and ditch you.”

“Alright, alri-” Silver pauses. He turns back to look down at the robot, his ears twitching. “What’s that beeping sound?”

Silver leans his head close to the robot’s core, and sure enough, there’s a beeping sound that is slowly getting louder and quicker. Shadow’s eyes widen in horror once he realizes what’s going to happen, though Silver is too distracted to notice.

“Silver, get back!”

“Huh?” Silver looks up in confusion, but before he has any time to process anything, he’s pulled back very suddenly. The beeping stops and in that split second, Silver finally registers what’s about to happen.

Silver closes his eyes and creates a force field as he’s pinned to the ground, and not a second later the robot explodes with a considerable blast wave. Silver isn’t sure what’s going on, but all he knows is that he’s holding onto something for dear life as he waits for the explosion to subside. He hears debris rain down on his force field, and once the sound has calmed down, he opens his eyes with hesitation.

Shadow is shielding Silver with his body and covering his own eyes with his forearm. Silver is on his side holding onto Shadow's arm, and his ear is pressed up against Shadow's chest. Silver can hear Shadow’s heart beating frantically.

_Was Shadow really this worried about his well being?_

The thought makes Silver’s face flush, and his heart rate ends up syncing up with Shadow’s. Shadow begins to stir, and Silver, in a panic, releases his force field and lets go of Shadow's arm. Shadow opens his eyes and gets off Silver rather nonchalantly, not even mentioning the physical contact. He does, however, offer Silver a hand.

“Are you alright?”

The sincerity of Shadow’s question catches Silver off guard, and he’s left stunned, staring at Shadow’s hand. Something about Shadow’s tone gave Silver a warm feeling in his chest, a feeling he’s never felt before.

It feels nice.

He takes too long to reply, and Shadow retracts his hand. Silver blinks, and he takes a few seconds to get back to his senses. He stumbles to his feet but is luckily able to use his powers to balance himself.

“Sorry… I just zoned out for a bit.” Silver rubs his hand together and stares down at the ground. “I’m fine. Thanks for the save. I owe you one.”

“It wasn’t anything extraordinary. You were just too dense to realize what was going on.” Shadow turns and starts walking away, cueing Silver to follow him. “Now, what was so urgent that you had to find me yourself?”

Oh yeah. Silver almost forgot about the reason he’s here. Keeping pace with Shadow, Silver laces his hands together and clears his throat.

“I just wanted to see if we could become friends. I ran into you in the future, which confused me. You really didn’t want to tell me what you were doing in the future, so you sent me back here in order to befriend you for the reason.”

Shadow gives Silver a strange look as he furrows his brows.

“You don’t need to befriend me for an answer. Plus, you should know the reason already.”

“Firstly, I know I don’t _need_ to befriend you, but I really _want_ to, Shadow. I’m all alone in the future, but I’m hoping to change that with you.” Silver releases his hands and runs a hand through his quills. “And secondly, I logically wouldn’t know the reason you were in the future. We aren’t exactly close, so I don’t know you as well as everyone else.”

Shadow lets out an annoyed sigh and picks up his pace, his rocket shoes activating as he gains speed. Silver, not wanting to lose sight of Shadow, picks himself up and starts flying alongside him.

“I don’t have friends, Silver.”

“What about Rouge and Omega? They seem pretty close to you.”

“That’s because they’re my team. They’re my partners, and we have to trust each other. We aren’t traditional _‘friends’_ per say. I don’t actually know much about Rouge aside from how she presents herself to me during missions. The same goes for Omega.”

“You don’t hang out with them outside of G.U.N. missions?”

“No, and why would I? Just face the facts, Silver. The best you’ll get out of me is an ally.” The coldness of Shadow’s words sends shivers down Silver’s spine.

Looks like Silver’s goal just hit a major obstacle. But Silver refuses to let this ruin his chances of friendship with Shadow.

“Wanna bet?”

Shadow skids to a stop once they’re out of the forest, and he turns to face Silver. Skepticism is written all over his features.

“You’re only going to humiliate yourself.”

“We’ll see about that.” Silver hovers in front of Shadow and winks at him. “Give me the next month to prove to you that I can get through that icy cold heart of yours and become friends with you.”

“And if you’re unable to do so within that time?”

“You pick the consequence.”

Shadow crosses his arms and closes his eyes in thought. After a good minute, he snaps his fingers and opens his eyes, a devilish shine in his scarlet eyes.

“You have to take a plunge into the waters of the Ice Cape on Angel Island for a full five minutes.” Shadow smirks at Silver’s reaction to the dare, but Silver doesn’t let that put him down.

“It’s a deal.” Silver extends his hand towards Shadow, a determined expression decorating his face.

The optimism shining in his eyes is a bit off putting to Shadow, but he takes Silver’s hand nonetheless and shakes it.

“I don’t lose, Silver, so might as well start preparing for your defeat.”

“Careful with that arrogance of yours. It’ll end up snapping back at you one day.” Silver smirks.

They release their hands, and Shadow gives Silver a curt nod before skating away. Silver watches him disappear over the horizon and turns to face the opposite direction.

Letting out a long sigh, Silver places a hand on his temple and shakes his head.

_What have I gotten myself into?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you use Ao3 on mobile or desktop? Just curious.


	3. Wingwoman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver isn't sure how he's going to win over Shadow. Fortunately for him, Sonic introduces him to the perfect person for the job.

Silver can't really explain why Sonic was the first person that came to mind for answers about Shadow. But here he is, seated across from the blue blur and his younger brother, holding a cup of tea Tails offered him.

Sonic lowers his glass of water and taps his fingers on the table, furrowing his brows.

“I’m going to be honest with you Silver, I don’t think it’d be appropriate for me to be the one to tell you Shadow’s story.”

“Can you at least tell me how you two got close?”

Sonic takes in a deep breath and scratches his nose.

“I wouldn’t say me and Shadow are _close_ per say. He’s a good rival/ally, and I do play around and tease him a lot. But outside of me knowing his origin and the number of times we’ve run into each other, Shadow still doesn’t see me in a good light. And I’ve known him longer than you have, so that’s saying a lot.” Sonic crosses his arms and leans back in his chair.

Tails frowns at Sonic’s answer and turns to Silver to put down his own two cents.

“Shadow definitely has his softer side, but it’s really hard to get him to show it. I personally think you do have a good chance at befriending Shadow, but I don’t think we’re the best people to help you with that.”

Sonic snaps his fingers just as Tails finishes speaking and drops back in his seat to face Silver.

“I know just the person to ask for help. Wait right here.” Sonic darts away in a blur, the draft he creates knocks over everyone’s drinks, much to annoyance of Tails.

Silver is fortunately able to suspend all the spilled liquids with his psychokinesis and places everything back once the draft has passed.

“Thanks for that, Silver.”

“Don’t mention it.” Silver leans his elbows on the table, staring down at the kitchen table.

“So…” Tails picks up his mug and takes a sip. “How’s the future?”

Silver sighs and lays his arms over each other, leaning forward.

“It’s… fine. It’s not perfect by any standards, but at least it isn’t on fire anymore or under a dictatorship. I would say the two biggest differences are the weather and environment. It’s a lot colder in the future, though I’m not really sure why. As for the environment, there’s not a lot of color. The only plants I’ve seen are grass and a few species of trees. Everything is green, and that’s the only color you’ll see for miles.”

Tails is able to pick up on Silver’s mopiness, so he sets down his mug and silently offers Silver a mint from his candy jar on the table. Silver takes the candy without a word and lets out a long sigh.

“It’s hard being on my own in the future. I enjoy coming back here to spend time, but I feel like the only times I’m ever back here is when something is wrong in the future. Plus, I don’t want to risk altering the future so much with my presence here.” Silver plops the mint into his mouth and leans back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest.

Tails’ ears droop at Silver’s sudden drop of energy, but before he has the chance to attempt to cheer up Silver, Sonic bursts through the door.

“We’re here!”

Silver and Tails both turn their heads to look at the front door. Sonic steps aside and waves his hand up and down to reveal Rouge standing behind him. She gives Silver and Tails a wave before stepping inside.

“It’s lovely seeing you boys again.” Rouge strides over to the empty chair next to Silver, pushing it out with her foot and taking a seat. She crosses her legs and leans an elbow on the table, looking Silver over. “Blue over here says you’re trying to befriend my darling teammate, and I’m here to help with that.”

“Welp, me and Tails have some training to do, so we’ll just let you two talk things out.” Sonic gives the two a wink and turns to drag Tails out of the room. Once the two are out of sight, Rouge places her chin on her hand, giving Silver a bright smile.

Silver smiles back shyly and clears his throat, unsure how to start this conversation. Luckily for him, Rouge picks up on his awkwardness and uncrosses her legs before turning her body to face him directly.

“I’ll warn you right now, getting Shadow to crack is going to be a challenge, even more so considering your current relationship with him. But I’ll make sure to help you every step of the way.” Rouge reaches over and pats Silver’s hand in reassurance. “Now, tell me everything you currently know about Shadow and your feelings towards him.”

“Well…” Silver furrows his brows in thought. “I know he’s the Ultimate Lifeform, though I’m actually not sure what that exactly means. He works with G.U.N. alongside you and Omega, and most people would consider him an anti-hero of sorts. I'd describe him as very brutally honest, yet noble in his ways."

"Interesting, interesting… Now, how do you feel about Shadow? What feelings do you get when you see him?"

Silver takes a good minute thinking over Rouge's question. He unconsciously traces the symbol on one of his palms with his thumb while thinking of what to say.

"Well… I respect and admire him a lot, though it's really easy to get intimidated by him. Recently, I get this weird excitement whenever I see him, though that's probably because of our encounter in the future."

“This is a great start, Silver.” Rouge claps her hands together and then pulls out a map from behind her back. “Now, onto how you’re going to get close to Shadow. The key is persistence, as surprising as that sounds it actually works.”

Rouge spreads the map onto the kitchen table, and Silver notes all the areas circled in red.

“These are the places Shadow spends most of his time in. The plan is for you to constantly show up in these areas in red in an effort to get him talking."

“How do you know that? Shadow said he doesn’t hangout with you-”

“Outside of missions, blah, blah. That’s true, but that doesn’t mean I don’t keep tabs on the guy. I am a spy after all.” Rouge winks as she says the last part. She starts pointing at each area marked on her map, with Silver watching intently. “Now, Shadow spends every other day here training. This field is located just 5 miles east of G.U.N. and has proven to be Shadow’s favorite sparring location. This botanical garden over here is where Shadow comes to relax from what I can tell every Saturday. This cafe here is the only place I've seen Shadow eat at, and he only goes there every second Sunday of the month. And finally we have Emerald Coast, which he visits very sporadically. Though I'll admit, I've only ever seen Shadow enter the area of Emerald Coast, never leave, and I don't know what he does there."

"Once the month is up, I'll be sure to let you know." Silver smiles to himself, and Rouge giggles.

"Optimistic, are we?" Rouge folds up the map and hands it to Silver. "Now, onto conservation skills. Tell me, how good of a conversationalist are you?"

"I… could use some pointers for sure."

"Humility, something Shadow definitely needs in his life. Shadow isn't much of a talker, obviously, but asking the right questions persistently will get the ball rolling. Wording is something you need to pay special attention to when speaking to Shadow. Be honest and don't beat around the bush too much, and just be yourself. You're a wonderful person, Silver. It's only a matter of time for Shadow to realize that."

Silver finds himself blushing at the compliment, and he ducks his head off to the side.

"You really think so?"

"Oh, sweetheart, I know so." Rouge smirks as she leans back in her seat, drumming her fingers against her thigh. "But do be warned, with that pretty little face of yours, you might end up with more than just a friendship with Shadow. He's quite sensitive, if you know what I mean."

Silver looks up and tilts his head in confusion, staring at Rouge with a pensive look in his golden eyes. Rouge notices this and lets out a sigh, cupping her cheek.

"Oh you precious soul. Don't worry yourself with what I'm saying, I have the tendency to overshare. Now." Rouge stands up and stretches her arms over her head, her wings mimicking the action. She rolls her shoulders and smiles at Silver. "I have to get going. Oh! Before I go, have this."

Rouge tosses Silver a wristband, and he catches it with his powers.

"This is a communicator so we can keep in touch. Call me before and after every encounter you have with Shadow. Good luck!"

Rouge heads to the door and just as she grabs the doorknob, Silver speaks up.

"Rouge."

"Hm?" She looks over her shoulder to see Silver attaching the wristband. He looks up and gives her a bright smile.

"Thank you for this. All of it. I don't know how to repay you for your help."

Rouge places a hand on her chest and mirrors Silver's smile.

"Silver, the pleasure is all mine. The best thing you can do for me in return is getting Shadow out of his routine through your friendship. Call or text me with any questions, I'm all ears. See you, Silvy."

Rouge waves goodbye and takes off once she's out the door. Silver closes the door on her behalf and takes a closer look at the communicator. It has a touchscreen and currently only has one contact on it (Rouge), and opening the text messenger reveals that Silver can only use speak to text to type. Makes sense when Silver realizes that G.U.N. agents probably need to send messages rather quickly.

The sound of footsteps entering the room makes Silver look up, and he's greeted by Tails holding a pillow and blanket.

"I figured since you're going to be staying here in the past for a while, you'll need somewhere to stay. The guest room is this way."

Tails leads Silver to a room down the hall and presents him with a rather large guest bedroom. Silver looks around in astonishment as Tails sets up the bed.

"Are you sure it's okay I can stay in a room this big?"

"Don't be so harsh to yourself, Silver. You deserve a place to stay. Plus, both my room and Sonic's room are twice the size of this room, just so you know." Tails gives Silver a playful smile before leaving Silver to explore the room.

Silver walks over to the window and opens it, admiring all the flowers growing outside. He extends his hand out to feel the sunlight, and it provides a warmth he’s never experienced in the future. Looking around the small garden outside, Silver spots some rose bushes near his window and uses his powers to pluck one from the bush. He brings it inside and walks over to his bed, admiring the thorny plant levitating in front of him.

Roses kind of remind Silver of Shadow in a strange way: thorny stems/exteriors that can hurt you if you approach them unprepared. But once you strip those thorns away, you’re left with something beautiful.

Silver sets the rose down on the nightstand next to his bed before tapping on his communicator. He clicks on Rouge’s contact and brings his wrist up to his muzzle.

“Hey, Rouge. Does Shadow have a favorite flower?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rouge is a mom, and you can't convince me otherwise.


	4. Playing Hard to Get

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shadow lives up to his harsh reputation. Too bad he doesn't realize Silver has a limit on how much bs he can take.

_Getting Shadow to Hangout  
Attempt 1_

_“Play it cool, act surprised to see him there, and most importantly, don't you dare mention that I told you of this place. You just happened to stumble across it while picking up some tools for Tails. Oh, and make sure he doesn’t see this communicator or he’ll figure things out on his own.”_

“Alright. I’ll cut off now so I can do that.”

_“I wish you the best, Silvy.”_

Silver ends the call and slips off the communicator, quickly tucking it away in his quills. Looking around, Silver lets out a sigh. It wasn't too hard finding Shadow's training field considering it' a flat plain with nothing but dirt within a mile radius surrounded by thick bush. There are several tree stumps around, implying Shadow purposely cleared out the area for himself.

What catches Silver’s attention, however, is the uneven foundation. The field is filled with scattered dips in the ground. Silver made sure not to touch any, but his curiosity starts getting the better of him. He squats down at a dip in the dirt near his feet and reaches for the edge of it.

“I wouldn’t touch that if I were you.”

Silver looks up to see Shadow leaning against a tree at the edge of the training circle, staring off into the untouched bush. Silver takes back his hand and stands up.

“Why’s that?”

Shadow doesn’t answer. Instead, he flicks his wrist, releasing a Chaos Spear directly into the small dip. The second the spear touches the dip, spikes shot up, startling Silver into levitation.

Shadow carefully weaves his way towards Silver and stops next to the spikes. He kicks them and they retract back into the dirt.

"That's why. Now, how did you find this area?"

Silver is about to panic when he feels the satchel he's wearing graze his thigh.

_Right, I have this as a reason._

Lowering himself back down, Silver clears his throat before speaking.

"I was running errands for Tails and noticed this empty area from the sky. I just wanted to check it out." Silver touches the satchel to draw attention to it, yet Shadow's gaze stays put on Silver. "So, what is this place?"

"You're not supposed to be here."

"Why not? Is this private property or something?" Silver looks around to see if he missed a sign, but he finds nothing of the sort. He turns back to face Shadow, who is glaring rather harshly at him with burning scarlet eyes.

Shadow says nothing in return, and instead turns on his heels and starts making his way out of the area. Silver starts following him, but Shadow turns around sharply and gets in Silver's face.

"Shouldn't you be getting back to Tails with whatever it is he requested from you?"

Silver cowers, gripping the strap across his chest in surprise.

"W-Well, yeah but-"

"It's rude to keep your host waiting, Silver." Shadow narrows his eyes and backs off. "And don't even think about following me."

Silver puffs out his cheeks and huffs as Shadow skates off. Silver also goes to leave when he has a sudden realization.

“Hey! How did you know I was staying with Tails?!”

But his question only echoes back at him. Groaning, Silver pulls out his communicator and calls back Rouge. As the line rings, he jumps into flight and attempts to see if he can spot Shadow from the sky. No luck.

_“So, how’d it go?”_ Rouge’s voice snaps Silver back into reality, and he lets out a long sigh.

“He ditched me.”

_“Harsh, but not unexpected from him. It’s only the first attempt, Silver. Don’t get too discouraged.”_

“Right. I’m heading back to Sonic’s place. Hopefully Tails isn’t too upset with me being a bit late.”

_Attempt 2_

Silver has never been more in love in his whole life.

“What about this purple one? And those pink ones overhead?”

Sonic flips through his guidebook as Silver fawns over all the flowers around him.

“The purple ones are pansies, and the pink ones are cherry blossoms.”

“They’re all so colorful and alive.” Silver holds his hands together up to his chest, eyes sparkling as he takes in everything.

It was Saturday, and Rouge had informed Silver with the rough time Shadow should be showing up to the botanical garden for his weekly “relaxation period”. Silver opted to bring Sonic along, and the blue blur agreed to make the excuse of inviting Silver himself to the garden. Though, since stepping foot into the botanical garden, Silver has interested himself much more in all the plant life than actually looking for Shadow.

Sonic starts tapping his foot impatiently and crosses his arms. He walks over to Silver and nudges him with his elbow.

“Rouge said Shadow should have arrived by now. Wonder if he’s ditching his routine for once.”

Sonic’s nudge brings Silver back to his senses, and Silver turns to face him.

“Rouge made it very clear that Shadow can’t function without routine. Plus, this garden is pretty big, he could- Oh my Chaos, flowers can be blue?!”

Silver darts past Sonic, who lets out a sigh at Silver’s lack of an attention span, and stops in front of a patch in the garden dedicated to blue flowers.

Silver is left so starstruck by all the variety of blue flowers that he almost misses the black figure directly across the patch of flowers. Silver perks up and lifts his gaze from the flowers up to Shadow, who looks surprised by Silver's appearance.

"Shadow! Lovely running into you here."

Shadow's expression falls as Sonic strides up to Silver, and that familiar cold gaze overtakes Shadow's burning stare.

Silver quickly glances at Sonic, who gives him a discreet wink, and he turns back to smile at Shadow. Silver's friendliness, however, is not reciprocated.

Shadow crosses his arms and gives Sonic a death glare.

"What are you two doing here."

"Just showing Silver around." Sonic throws an arm over Silver's shoulders and leans on said hedgehog. "Can you believe he's never seen flowers before? I thought it'd be cool to bring him here so he'd get a proper taste of the beauty of nature."

Shadow shifts his gaze onto Silver, who has yet to speak a single word for himself.

“Then I suppose I should let you two be.”

“You can join us if you want.” Silver pulls away from Sonic and gestures back at the rest of the garden. “It’d be nice to look around together. I’ve only seen a small part of the garden, but I think these blue roses have to be my current favorites-”

“I didn’t ask for your opinion.” Shadow cuts Silver off, and Sonic takes visible offense to the action on Silver’s behalf.

“Look, dude, he’s just trying to be friendly. Save the attitude for our fights.” Sonic places a protective hand on Silver’s shoulder and unconsciously steps forward, obscuring Shadow’s view of Silver.

Silver’s ears fold back, and a seething anger starts to boil in his chest. Yet he stays quiet to let Sonic speak on his behalf for the time being.

Shadow flicks his eyes between Sonic and Silver, and an almost disappointed look seems to take over his expression. He backs off and leaves the area without another word, and Sonic doesn't relax until Shadow has left the garden entirely.

Letting out a sigh, Sonic turns to Silver, who's staring at the bundle of blue roses in front of him.

"Sorry about that. I don't get why he's so abrasive so suddenly."

Silver knows why. But he'll save it for their next encounter (if Silver is able to contain his fury for that long).

_The Final Attempt ( & Breaking Point)_

Silver takes in a deep breath and smooths down his quills. It’s been two weeks since he and Shadow made their deal, and he’s at his limit with trying to be nice. Once Silver has calmed down, he starts marching towards Shadow’s training field. Silver can hear Shadow’s grunts and kicks as he approaches so he knows he’s come at the right time.

Silver steps onto the field in time to witness Shadow breaking down a wall of boulders with a flaming kick. Shards of boulder go flying everywhere, though Silver is quickly able to throw a force field over himself as he begins to approach Shadow.

Shadow kicks down another wall, but this time his ears twitch at the sound of the debris bouncing off Silver’s force field. Shadow turns to face Silver, and a look of annoyance quickly takes over his features.

“You just won’t give up.”

“It’s part of the personality.” Silver dissolves his force field as he stops in front of Shadow. “I know what you’re trying to do, Shadow, and I’m not going to let it intimidate me. Your coldness isn’t going to deter me from wanting to get to know you better.”

“If you know what I’m doing, then why aren’t you complying.” Shadow attempts to tower over Silver, but the latter stands his ground. “I warned you-”

“We made a deal, yet you’re the one who’s falling to keep his part up.” Silver leans forward, and the action immediately shuts Shadow up. “I accepted the challenge, I’ve been making the effort, and I’ve been doing my best to see the good in you. And all I’ve been seeing is a hedgehog who’s terrified of opening up and hiding behind a cruel facade to compensate for it.”

Silver steps forward aggressively and jabs a finger at Shadow’s chest. Shadow is left staring at Silver like a deer in headlights.

“I’m not…” Shadow searches his face for any signs of weakness, but Silver's golden eyes are burning with confidence. Shadow is left paralyzed.

Silver backs off a bit, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath to calm himself down. Breathing out, Silver opens his eyes and steps forward again, but this time much more gently.

“Look, I know it’s difficult for you to open up, I get that. But why do you keep pushing me away when you don’t even give me the chance to see if we’re compatible or not? Loneliness is suffocating, Shadow, and I thought you of all people would understand that.”

Silver takes a risk by placing a hand on Shadow’s shoulder, but much to his surprise (and delight), Shadow doesn’t attempt to shrug him off.

Shadow takes a few seconds to blink, and slowly he starts to come back to his senses. He averts his eyes away from Silver. He stays quiet for a bit, processing Silver’s speech, until he finds his voice.

“You… I’m…” Shadow lets out a sigh of defeat as he drops his head. “I suppose I was in the wrong for trying to push you away. It was unfair for both of us. But… you speak of compatibility…”

Shadow lifts up his head and furrows his brows as he looks back at Silver. His eyes are carrying a very confused gleam in them.

“You do understand the connotation that word carries, right?”

Silver’s mind blanks at the question, and much to his embarrassment, Silver doesn’t actually know what the word _**connotation**_ means. But not wanting to look stupid in front of Shadow, especially after standing up to him, Silver simply nods.

“Are you telling me you want that type of relationship?” Now Shadow looks somewhat offended, almost as if he’s been tricked. “I thought this was just about friendship.”

“It is!” Silver lets go of Shadow’s shoulder and holds up his hand in defense. Silver still isn’t sure what Shadow is thinking, but he doesn’t protest against it and just plays along. “It’s just… Let’s just take things one step at a time. I want to get to know you better, become good friends, and who knows, maybe we can get to the level you’re thinking about.”

In Silver’s head, that level is the same level of friendship he shares with Blaze. A family type relationship, where he might end up seeing Shadow as an older brother of sorts like Tails does with Sonic.

Shadow looks Silver over, an unfamiliar look in his scarlet eyes judging Silver from head to toe. He finally locks eyes with Silver, and lets out another sigh.

“Fine. You can stay and hang around the areas I occupy, and I won’t ditch you this time around. But that doesn’t mean I’ll be opening up that easily. You’ll need to ask the right questions to get me talking.”

“That’s fair enough. So… can that start now?” Silver rocks on his feet, and Shadow simply nods. “Can you answer my question as to what this area is now?”

“A training ground that G.U.N. allowed me to build with some of their equipment.” Shadow starts walking towards a different section of the field to continue training, and Silver lifts up some flat boulder pieces to make a seat for himself on the sidelines.

Sitting down on his makeshift seat, Silver continues to ask questions in regards to Shadow’s training, all the while Silver smiles to himself for his small victory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next update might take a bit longer because I want to add another chapter between this one and what was originally chapter 5. Hopefully it doesn't take too long, but no promises. 
> 
> And I just want to thank everyone that comments, you absolutely make my day. : )


	5. Relationship Woes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver starts feeling discouraged with Shadow's silence. Shadow has his first serious talk with Silver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Geez this chapter took a lot longer to write than I thought. But I'm finally happy with it even if I do have to make some minor edits the next few chapters to compensate for the dialogue in this chapter.

_“I told you persistence would work.”_

“I suppose it did. But he did ignore most of my questions and stopped talking entirely after an hour. This has been going on for the past week, and I don’t know how to feel about it.”

_“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I think that’s the longest Shadow has ever allowed himself to talk to someone, even with sparse pauses and such.”_

Silver lets out a sigh and leans his head back. He’s currently in Sonic’s living room just chilling on the sofa while talking to Rouge on his communicator. Sonic had left with Tails for a mission, and the two should be back within the next half hour or so. 

“I guess that's a good start… But I can't help but feel that he's still not really trying to get to know me. He hasn't asked me a single personal question, and it’s kind of bothering me." 

Silver can hear Rouge drumming her fingers on her desk, and she takes a minute to respond. 

_"I know you're the chatty type, Silver, but you have to understand that Shadow is the opposite. He's very introverted and finds it hard to open up to people. It's a miracle you got him talking at all within the past few days, so my advice is to not be upset that things are going slow. He warms up to people at his own pace, and it just so happens to be slower than your own."_

Silver knows Rouge has a point, but he can’t help but feel like he was still in the future. Shadow’s silence is just as deafening as the silence Silver had to endure in the future, and as much as Silver wanted to admit this to Rouge, he didn’t want to argue with her. He knew her advice was for the best. 

Before Silver can utter another word, Rouge’s voice suddenly drops to a whisper. 

_“I hear Shadow coming. Keep quiet while I talk to him.”_

There’s a knock at Rouge’s door, and she resumes her normal tone.

_“Come in.”_

Silver hears Shadow open the door, and the familiar sound of his rocket shoes are enough for Silver’s heart to start racing. 

_“Well, if it isn’t Mr. Sunshine. Sorry, Amy, I’m going to have to call you back. Do tell me how that little experiment with Sonic goes.”_ Rouge sets down her communicator from what Silver can hear, and her boots click on the wooden floor of her office as she sits up.

_“Meddling with the affairs of others isn’t a good practice. And much less when you’re doing so on company equipment.”_

_“I would give her my number, but a certain someone destroyed my last cell phone a while ago, and I’m still waiting for that replacement-"_

_"I've apologized several times already, and your replacement phone is on it's way, Rouge,"_ seethes Shadow through his teeth. 

Silver can’t help but smile at the interaction between the two, and he starts to wonder why Shadow refuses to hang out with Rouge. They seem to get along so well even in semi-casual situations like this. 

_"Moving on now… I need you to contact Silver and advise him that we won't be meeting at the training field tomorrow. I'll be stopping by Tails' workshop in the morning, but I won't be staying for long."_

_"That's a surprise; you usually wait out repairs on your bike with Tails."_

_"I have a mission to attend to while Tails works on my motorcycle."_

Silver is immediately disappointed by this fact, and Rouge stays silent for a few seconds before suddenly snaps her fingers. 

_"You know what? I'll go instead."_

Silver is taken aback by Rouge's offer, and he's not alone in his surprise.

_"I- You can't just take my place-"_

_"Of course I can! You've been way too focused on work, and considering the fact you have someone actively pursuing a relationship with you, you deserve at least one day off to spend more time with him like you promised."_

_"First of all, I never promised anything.”_

_“A deal is basically a promise, smartass-”_

_“_ **_Secondly_ ** _, he clarified that he just wants to become friends, and I plan for that to be_ **_it_ ** _. Your invasive idea of us being anything more than that is starting to irk me."_

_"Awww… come on, you two look adorable together! Plus… you didn't disagree with me when I commented on how handsome he is."_

Silver isn't sure how to feel about all this information, and the underlying implications of the conservation go right over his head. 

Shadow huffs out a groan and turns away from what Silver can hear. 

_"Just call Tails and have him pass the message to Silver. I'll be arriving at ten, so he better be awake by then._ "

_"Will do,”_ sings Rouge. 

The door to Rouge's office slams shut, and the bat waits for Shadow's footsteps to die down before picking up her communicator. 

_"You got all that?"_

Silver has to fight back the urge to let out an exhausted sigh, a bit depressed by Shadow’s continuous harsh tone and attitude towards him. Biting his tongue, Silver simply says _“yes”_ before hanging up without another word. 

Tomorrow was going to be interesting to say the least. 

_The Next Day_

“So, what is Shadow coming here for?” Silver looks around the workshop while Tails digs through his toolkit. 

“His motorcycle suffered some damage during a mission, and he’s bringing it here for repair,” replies Tails. “He didn't really say what was broken, just mentioned that it doesn't start anymore." 

“Huh… I didn’t know he had a motorcycle,” fibs Silver. “I actually don’t think I’ve learned a single thing about Shadow beyond what I already knew before we started hanging out.”

The disappointment laced in Silver’s words is enough for Tails to stop what he’s doing and look up with concern written on his face. Setting down his tools, Tails walks over to Silver, who is seated on a metal stool near the fox’s workbench.

“It’s not like you to be this gloomy. What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

“If it was nothing, it wouldn’t be affecting you.” Tails takes a seat on the stool next to Silver and fidgets a bit with his gloves. “I know I’m still a kid compared to everyone else, but that doesn’t mean I’ll invalidate your feelings. You can talk to me the same way you’d speak to Rouge and Sonic.”

Silver stares at Tails for a good minute before letting out a sigh of defeat. 

“I guess I’m just unnerved by Shadow’s silence. I know it’s just how he is, but I like having conversations with people in order to learn from them. And Shadow just isn’t doing that with me.”

Tails takes a moment to find the correct words for his response. 

"What is it about Shadow that intrigues you so much?"

Tails' question catches Silver off guard, and for a split second Silver's mind blanks. A few minutes go by while Silver articulates his thoughts, and slowly he starts piecing together his reasons. 

"I guess his coldness does have a mysterious appeal. He's one of the strongest and most composed individuals I know, and his unwavering ideals are like nothing I've ever seen. I might even say he's more determined than Sonic when it comes to reaching his goals." A small smile finds its way onto Silver's lips, yet his golden eyes remain dull. "I want to better understand what makes him… him. I want to understand his struggles, his past, his life so I can see how I can integrate myself into it. And that’ll only happen if he also participates and asks me questions about myself, which he has yet to do.”

Silver’s smile is quickly replaced with a frown once more, and Tails gently places a hand on Silver’s arm.

“I've been alone my whole life in the future so I know just how cruel solitude can be. I’m grateful for all my current friends here in the past, but I know I can’t stay here forever. I just want someone to share my time with, and I want that person to be Shadow."

"That's… really profound, Silver." Tails swings his legs a bit, his twin tails flickering with his thoughts. "I think if you want to advance your current relationship with Shadow, you should be honest about how his silence is making you feel. I know that he isn't purposely trying to make you feel bad, but you need him to admit it in order for you to feel better." 

Silver only nods at the suggestion, and in that moment the two hear a knock at the workshop door. Tails slips off his chair to answer the door, and Silver quickly decides he needs a few minutes to compose himself after that rant. He uses his powers to teleport himself to the garden in the backyard, leaving no trace of his presence in the workshop.

* * *

"Tails said I'd find you here."

Silver, currently seated under his guest room window, looks up to see Shadow staring down at him from said window. Something about their positions seemed humorous to Silver, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Something about a play was the only thing that came to mind...

Silver looks away and continues staring off into the garden, fiddling with the flower in his hand.

"I'm surprised you came looking for me. I honestly thought you were going to spend the whole time with Tails." 

"You're half the reason I showed up today, dumbass." Shadow flicks his fingers, using a small Chaos Spear to disintegrate the flower Silver is holding. "Piece of advice, don't touch foxglove. It's poisonous."

"Thanks?" Silver stands up and teleports himself into the guest room. He walks over to his bed and takes a seat, staring at the floor. Silver hears Shadow turn around and lean against the wall next to the window. But before Silver can make up his mind on what to say, Shadow speaks up.

“I heard everything before coming in.”

Silver looks at Shadow out of the corner of his eye and sees that Shadow is avoiding eye contact. Sitting up, Silver lets out a sigh and laces his hands together. 

“Then I guess I don’t have to repeat myself…”

“My silence isn’t out of malice, Silver, though I suppose I have some fault for not making that clear from the start.” Shadow steps away from the window and walks over to the foot of Silver’s bed and takes a seat, his back facing him. “I’ve never had to ask people questions because they’ve always given me the answers beforehand. I don’t care what Sonic’s favorite color is or where he likes to spend his Saturdays, yet he’s always talking my ear off about those things. But… you’re different.”

“How so?”

“You’re the only person who asks me questions instead of allowing that information to come to light any other way. Sure, I’ve answered the occasional question for other people, but questions are the only thing that come out of your mouth. It’s… new and confusing for me because I’ve never had to clarify myself more than once with a person. They just accept my short answers or my silence and leave me be.” Shadow lets out a sigh, and Silver feels the bed dip as Shadow leans his arms on the bed. “It was annoying the first day, and that’s why I stopped talking. The following few days, however, I stopped answering questions simply because I just didn’t know how to answer them. You ask me things I’d never thought to think about or share with people. How am I supposed to know my assigned constellation? Why does that even matter to people? Why would I want to share information regarding my preferences?

“But I realize now that I am being defensive,” confesses Shadow. “I do have a hard time opening up to people, and I don’t want that to be interpreted as fear by you, Silver. I’m simply trying to learn how to get along with you, even if it doesn’t seem like it.”

Silver is stunned. 

This is the most Shadow has ever spoken to him, and Silver takes a moment to process every single word. Taking in a deep breath, Silver turns to face Shadow, who looks over at him with an unusually soft expression. 

“I’m glad to hear all this from you, Shadow.” Silver finally feels his gloominess dissipate, and his iconic smile returns to his features. “It means a lot.”

“It’s the least I could do.” Shadow stands up and walks towards the door, but pauses at the threshold. “Though I am curious about one thing.”

Silver’s ears immediately perk up as he stands up.

“Yes?”

“What is it about silence that bothers you so much?”

Silver opens his mouth to answer, however, he quickly shuts it. A smirk twitches on the corner of his lips, though it's too subtle for even Shadow to notice.

“I’ll save that answer for another time.”


	6. The First Crack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver finally gets to see a part of Shadow that very few people have seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing this chapter, and I'd even say it's my favorite so far. 
> 
> Also, this is the first time I've written a proper action/fighting scene, so enjoy!

Silver grew to hate silence in the future. It was constantly echoed back just how alone he was in his time, and ironically, it was the most deafening sound he had ever experienced. It was almost traumatic, and Silver did his best to avoid silence in the past as much as possible. It’s the main reason he enjoys talking to people so much. 

But something about Shadow’s selective silence isn’t so bad, at least not anymore. After their talk, Silver had a much better understanding of Shadow’s communication skills, and Silver did his best to adapt to them over the course of the following days. 

Currently, the two hedgehogs are leaning on a tree on the outskirts of Shadow’s training field. It’s a rare occurrence to have Shadow simply sitting down and relaxing, Silver is aware of that much, but Silver wonders just how rare it is for Shadow to allow himself to be like this around someone. 

Silver is staring up at the sun rays passing through the branches of the maple tree above him, and he can hear Shadow’s rhythmic breaths from the opposite side of the tree. A breeze sweeps through the area, rustling some leaves overhead. It’s a nice quiet whispering with ambiance. Hopefully Silver has more moments like these with Shadow in the future.

“You’ve been awfully quiet for the past hour.”

Shadow’s voice breaks the stagnant silence, and Silver gets a bit startled by his soft tone. Pulling his knees up to his chest, Silver uses his power to catch a fluttering leaf, pulling it into his hand. 

“Sorry. It’s just… I’ve never been able to enjoy quiet moments like this before.”

“Now would be a perfect time for you to explain your problem with silence.”

“It’s more of a problem with the silence of the future,” says Silver while he twirls the leaf between his fingers, staring at it absentmindedly. “The silence there is booming, suffocating, and it mocks me for being a loner. When we first started hanging out, your initial silence made me feel like I hadn’t even left the future. But right now, I don’t feel taunted by it. I guess it helps that I can hear you a bit; it feels nice knowing I’m not alone for once.”

Silver lets go of the leaf and watches it get carried away with the breeze, a small smile twitching on his lips. Shadow stays quiet for a good minute, and Silver wonders if he’s said too much. Then, Silver hears Shadow stand up, indicated by the crunching of leaves under his shoes. Silver’s ears perk up at the sound of Shadow rounding the tree, and he looks up to his right to see Shadow standing next to him. 

“I suppose I misjudged you, Silver.” Shadow takes a seat next to Silver, their elbows brushing against each other. Shadow stares off straight ahead while Silver tilts his head towards him. “I saw your desperation as nothing more than a childish wish, something that would go away if I showed you the worst side of myself. But I understand now that it’s a legitimate goal, and your determination would explain why you put up with so much on my behalf.”

“You weren’t that mean. Sure, I got upset, but…” Silver hugs his legs and follows Shadow’s aimless gaze into the forest. “I had this gut feeling telling me that you were faking it. I mean, you wouldn’t have saved me from that robot’s self destruction if you didn’t at least like me a little.”

Shadow glances at Silver out of the corner of his eye before letting out a _‘tch’_. The silence resumes, but this time that warming feeling Silver got in his chest when Shadow saved him returns. Maybe it’s simply because Shadow has gotten comfortable enough to be sitting right next to Silver, hence their arms touching without any protest from the former. Silver buries his muzzle in his arms, smiling secretly into his fur. 

“I’m surprised you haven’t asked about my origins yet, or re-asked what I’m doing in the future.”

Silver lifts up his head and turns his head to face Shadow, who is staring directly at him. Silver feels his heart start to race from Shadow’s intense stare, but he takes in a quick breath and immediately looks away in an attempt to relax himself. 

“I… I was just waiting for the right time. I’ve been told that your past is a sensitive topic, and I haven’t really figured out how to word my questions regarding it.” Silver can feel Shadow’s scarlet eyes burning into his skull, and it only worsens his anxiety (or what he believes is anxiety boiling in his chest). 

Shadow hums at Silver’s answer, and he stands up to stretch. 

“I’m going back to train for another half hour.” Shadow turns to look at Silver over his shoulder. “Do you have any sparring experience?”

“Kind of? I’ve only ever battled against Sonic and robots, so I guess I’m more on the learning side of things?” Silver stands up and dusts himself off. “But I’d be happy to practice with you.”

“If you've battled Sonic, you should be fine against me. So don't hold back." 

The two return to the training ground with Shadow stopping at one end of the field while Silver stands on the opposite end. They both take a few minutes to stretch, and once they're ready, Shadow takes a defensive stance, waiting for Silver to make the first move. 

Silver takes in deep breath and concentrates all his energy into his psychokinesis, his hands glowing cyan. He takes a quick survey of his surroundings and spots some boulder shards from earlier lying behind Shadow, and he makes a mental note of them. 

Shifting his gaze back onto Shadow, Silver smirks as he forms several Psychic Knives around himself. He sees Shadow tense up, and Silver flicks his arm towards Shadow, sending the knives flying straight for him. 

Shadow retaliates with a swarm of Chaos Spears, effectively canceling out Silver's attack. Dust flies, and Shadow disappears into the cloud. Silver quickly conjures up a shield, and he's just in time to block a swift kick from Shadow. Using Shadow’s own momentum, Silver manages to ricochet Shadow off his shield by using his own body as a spring to push the shield forward. 

Shadow flies a few feet before landing on the ground perfectly unharmed. Silver dissolves his shield and uses his powers to latch onto the boulder shards from earlier just as Shadow composes himself. He waits until Shadow charges him, waiting until the last second to teleport out of Shadow’s way and flings the boulders into the air. Shadow skids to a stop and whips around to see Silver aiming boulder shards straight for him. 

Silver launches the shards with a downward motion from his hands, and Shadow quickly reacts by performing a Homing Attack into the incoming rocks. Silver tries to ricochet Shadow off another shield, but this time Shadow slams hard enough into the shield to send Silver back into a tree. He lets out a surprised groan when his back collides with the tree, but he’s quick to levitate himself to the ground. 

Staggering a bit, Silver takes in a sharp breath but isn’t given any time to compose himself as Shadow suddenly appears in front of him. In a panicked impulse, Silver releases a blast of psychokinetic energy just as Shadow rears up to kick him. The blast only really slides Shadow back a few feet, but Silver notices that Shadow has gone rigid. He must have accidentally released a Psycho Smash in his panic. Luckily, Shadow is able to slowly shake off the paralysis, and Silver takes advantage of his semi-paralyzed state by picking up the last intact boulder shard and chucks it at Shadow.

Shadow disappears in a flash, and the shard ends up slamming into the base of a tall tree. A loud snap echoes through the arena and is immediately followed by the telltale sound of a collapsing tree. Silver creates a spiral of blades around the falling tree and claps his hands together, effectively slicing up the tree into logs. 

While Silver is distracted levitating these logs, Shadow appears behind him and sweeps Silver’s feet out from under him and roundhouse kicks Silver into the stump left behind from the fallen tree. 

Silver gets the wind knocked out of him when he hits the stump, and he loses his concentration on the suspended logs. Silver hears Shadow taking out all the logs with a barrage of Chaos Spears, and he takes the opportunity to charge up another Psycho Smash. Picking himself up, Silver turns around to see a bright red aura surrounding Shadow. 

The two are both charging up an attack blast, and now it’s only a matter of who releases their power first. Silver balls his hands into fists and takes a step forward, his golden eyes locked on Shadow. 

Shadow takes this as the first move and charges Silver, who mirrors the action. When they’re both within mere inches of each other, they both come to a skid while leaning back and strike out a hand towards the other. 

“PSYCHO SMASH!”

“CHAOS BLAST!”

Cyan and scarlet clash to form a deep magenta explosion that sends both hedgehogs flying backwards. 

Silver is flung outside the training field and is once again slammed into a tree. He collapses onto his stomach, and he swears he hears something pop out of place. Silver's body trembles in agony while he attempts to physically lift himself up, but he ends up falling back down due to the sheer amount of pain pulsing through his body. 

Gasping for air, Silver gives up trying to move, and instead decides to stay put to give his body time to relax. Slowly but surely, the pain starts to subside, but his body continues to ache as Silver finally staggers to his feet. He holds a hand to his abdomen to put pressure on his rib cage and flies back towards the field. 

A large crater sits where Silver and Shadow collided, and all of the traps are activated. Silver feels his stomach drop. 

"Shadow?" 

There's no immediate answer. 

A snap to his right catches his attention, and Silver floats over. 

Shadow is leaning against a tree, his body twitching with cyan paralysis. Silver lands near Shadow and tries to help him up, but Shadow holds up a hand. 

"Do you still have that Chaos Emerald from the robot?" 

Silver pauses and then nods, pulling out said emerald from his quills. Shadow stands up with a slight limp, but is able to stabilize himself when he faces Silver.

"Here." Shadow cups Silver's hand holding the Chaos Emerald and closes his eyes, bringing their hands up to his muzzle. 

The Chaos Emerald begins to shine brightly, and its golden light starts radiating through their hands and onto their bodies. That familiar warmth returns to Silver’s chest, and it’s amplified while watching the golden light bathe Shadow’s ebony quills. 

_Why do I feel like this?_

Before Silver can delve deeper into this question, he’s distracted by the healing effect of the Chaos Emerald. Silver feels his body relaxing, and once the light has dispersed, all of his pain and aching is gone. Even his white fur has been cleansed of all the dirt and sweat he was covered in.

Once the light is gone, Shadow opens his eyes and lets go of Silver’s hand, taking in a deep breath and rolling his shoulders. Silver stares at Shadow for a few moments before averting his gaze and putting away the emerald. 

“I didn’t know Chaos Emerald had the ability to heal.”

“They can’t under normal circumstances. I’m only able to access the ability due to being the Ultimate Lifeform.” 

“Yeah… about that…” Silver rubs his arm as he looks down to his boots. “I don’t actually know what that means.”

“Oh course you don’t. But I don’t blame you.” Shadow walks past Silver, who lifts his head to follow Shadow’s movements. “It’s about time I tell you about my past; you’ve earned the explanation after managing to end this sparring session with a draw.”

Silver’s face lights up, and he quickly catches up with Shadow, who returns to the maple tree they were resting under. Taking a seat next to each other, Shadow sighs as he rubs his Inhibitor Rings. 

“The reason I appear in your time, Silver, is because I’m immortal.” Shadow lays his hands on his lap and looks up to the sky, sorrow in his scarlet eyes. “I was created using the blood of an alien named Black Doom, though modified by Gerald Robotnik, my creator, with the blood of a regular hedgehog. Thus, that makes me a hybrid of sorts. I was created with the purpose of being the perfect being, which is why I’m referred to as the Ultimate Lifeform. I can’t contract any illness nor can I perish by any natural means. I was raised on the Space Ark, that space anomaly you might have noticed in the sky.”

Silver follows Shadow’s stare and notes said anomaly standing near the moon. It’s quite small, and Silver would have never noticed it on his own. 

“I learned about Earth alongside Gerald Robotnik’s granddaughter, Maria. She was my best friend growing up.” Shadow sighs and drops his gaze, and Silver can feel agony radiating from him as he remembers Maria. “She… she was my everything. I’ve never been closer to anyone, and I doubt I’ll ever have a relationship as strong as the one I had with her. But… G.U.N. deemed me too dangerous and raided the Ark in hopes of destroying me. We... Maria and I... we were cornered into the escape pod room, but those damn things needed someone to manually release them. Maria gave her life to save mine, forcing me into an escape pod and allowing herself to get killed to send me to Earth. And I've been here ever since, doing my best to keep my promise of defending the Earth for her."

Silver is stunned. Shadow hugs his legs up to his chest, laying his head on his arms. Everything about Shadow’s body language is screaming emotional pain, and Silver takes a moment to find his voice.

“Are… is that the real reason you’re so reluctant to get close to someone? Because you worry you might lose them again? Just like you lost her?”

Shadow stays quiet, but Silver gets his answer in a single tear cascading down Shadow’s tan muzzle. Silver’s ears droop, and he reaches out and wipes away the tear stain from Shadow’s face. The action makes Shadow flinch and whip his head towards Silver, who keeps his hand cupped on his muzzle. 

They stare at each other for what feels like forever, and Silver has the greatest temptation to press his forehead against Shadow’s, just like he does with Blaze whenever she’s upset. But he restrains himself and instead pulls his hand away and looks off into the distance. 

“I appreciate you telling me all this Shadow. It gives me a better idea of you as a person and how to approach you better.” Silver uses his powers to catch a flurry of maple leaves falling down and makes them float overhead. “I know I can never fill that empty void Maria left behind in your heart, but you deserve a second chance with someone. I want to be that someone for you, but that’s only if you’ll let me.”

Silver brings down a large maple leaf before dispersing the rest of the leaves, and he hands it to Shadow, who takes it with hesitation. Shadow stares at the leaf for a long while, and Silver waits patiently for him to come back to his senses. 

“Thank you.”

“What for?”

“For being so persistent and patient with me.” A small smile creeps its way onto Shadow’s lips as he twirls the leaf, and Silver feels his heart flutter. “Are you free this coming Saturday?”

“Yup.”

“Good.” Shadow stands up and tucks away the maple leaf before offering Silver a hand, who takes it this time around. “There’s a cafe in Station Square we can meet up at to talk more. You can ask Tails for directions. Be there at 10 am. Don’t be late.”

“Of course!” Silver claps his hands together and smiles brightly. He can feel his heart accelerating with excitement. “I’ll see you then!”

Shadow gives Silver a nod before turning around and taking his leave. Silver watches Shadow disappear into the forest, and once the sound of his rocket shoes has died out, Silver somersaults into the air with a giddy smile. 

Things are finally going his way.


	7. Giving All the Wrong Signals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver and Shadow continue to dance around the subject of what type of relationship they each think the other wants.

"This is just so exciting! And the fact he took the initiative to invite you is a great sign!" Rouge grips her hands tightly together, practically bouncing in her seat. “This is the first time in years he’s diverted from his usual schedule. Oh Silver, you’re doing amazing sweetheart!”

Silver reflects her enthusiasm with his own smile, though he starts fidgeting with his rings. Rouge notices this and slides over the glass of water she had served for herself. 

“Here.” 

“I-It’s okay, you don’t-”

“You’re anxious, sweetheart. Take a drink to calm your nerves.”

Silver sheepishly accepts the water and downs a decent amount before letting out a sigh. 

“Thanks.”

“It’s nothing, Silvy. Now, tell me what’s bothering you.” Rouge folds her hands together and sits patiently. 

Silver traces the cyan symbols on his palm as he stares at the ground.

“I guess I’m nervous about meeting him somewhere new. I’m so close to getting Shadow to accept me as his friend, but I’m worried that I’m going to say something wrong and ruin everything. Sure, I’ve been holding my tongue a lot more consciously recently, but that’s because I’m alone with Shadow. A public setting is something else, and I don’t want to embarrass either of us.”

Rouge studies Silver’s body language for a few seconds before piping up. 

“You’re just being hard on yourself, Silvy.” Rouge crosses her legs and leans an arm on her kitchen table. “Shadow is a lot more forgiving than you’re giving him credit for. I’ve had my fair share of slip ups in conversation with the guy, and yet we’re still rather close at work. Besides, if Shadow is willing to derail his schedule for you, he’s willing to forgive a few mishaps here and there. He doesn’t ever invite people out, so you should start realizing just how special you’re becoming to him.”

"I… I guess you have a point. Thank you, Rouge.” Silver gives her a thankful smile, though he continues to fidget with his hands. “What do I do now? I feel like I need to do something more to show Shadow how serious I am. Especially after that heart to heart."

Rouge frowns, but soon a devilish smirk graces her pink lips.

"How about some flowers? You do remember what I said his favorites are." 

"Carnations. But what color?"

Rouge leans an arm on her kitchen table, pretending to think over the answer. She taps her temple and snaps her fingers once she's figured it out. 

"White. Not too bold, and not too subtle. The perfect first impression color." 

“That sounds great! And since we're not meeting until this Saturday that gives me enough time to find white carnations." Silver stands up and starts heading for the door. "I'll be sure to call you so I can tell you how things go. Wish me luck!" 

Silver waves goodbye and heads out with a skip in his step. Rouge takes a sip from her glass and lets out a pitiful sigh. 

"Chaos, please help this poor hedgehog; he’s worse at picking up on hints than Sonic. I just hope Shadow is sharp enough to realize this before he says the right thing at the wrong time." 

_Saturday_

"Take deep breaths, relax, everything is going to be alright." Silver clutches the wrapped bouquet of carnations to his chest and cautiously enters the cafe. He's arrived a few minutes early to secure a seat for Shadow and himself, but also because he needs a bit of time to calm his nerves. 

Finding an open two seat table by a window, Silver sets down the bouquet and sits down with hesitation. Even though Shadow has yet to show up, Silver can feel his heart racing against his chest, and it’s actually starting to hurt a bit. 

_‘Things are going to be fine, Silver, you’ve talked to Shadow enough times already to know how to speak to him at this point.’_ Silver continues to do his best in staying optimistic, but he can’t shake the fear that he’ll mess up this meet up. Talking to people is supposed to get easier the more time you spend with them, so why is that Silver’s anxiety has only multiplied the more time he’s spent with Shadow?

Taking in a deep breath, Silver rests his head on his hand and stares out the window. Things weren’t this hard when he was befriending Blaze, and she was just as reserved as Shadow. 

_What makes Shadow so different from Blaze? If only Blaze was here, I’d ask for some advice…_

"Silver?"

Speak of the Princess, and she will appear. 

Silver snaps his head up and looks over his shoulder and to his absolute shock, Blaze is standing a few feet away from him near the front counter. She looks just as surprised to see Silver, but she shakes away her shock and a delightful smile graces her lips. 

“Blaze!” Silver mirrors her smile, practically jumps out of his seat and bounces over to her. Silver embraces Blaze and twirls her around, earning a surprised giggle from the Sol Princess. He sets her down and takes her hands, clearly overestatic to see her. "Chaos, I've missed you so much. What are you doing in this dimension?"

"Oh, Amy and Cream invited me for a girl's week. They insisted I take a break from my royal duties back home." Blaze steps aside to reveal said friends standing in line to purchase some takeout. "What about you? It's quite rare for you to come back without the future being in peril, yet it looks like you're not too panicked."

"Well you got that right. I'm actually here just to relax, catch up with everyone, you know? I'm actually meeting with Shadow right now, he should be arriving soon." 

"You and Shadow, huh?" Blaze looks Silver over, catching a glimpse at the bouquet of white carnations on his table. Her expression turns to surprise, and her golden eyes widening a bit. "I would have never guessed. How’s that coming along?"

“I… I’m actually in a small dilemma right now, and I was just thinking about you for advice.” Silver lets go of Blaze’s hands and awkwardly rubs his golden rings. 

“Of course. Amy and Cream are ordering food right now so I have a moment.” Blaze ushers Silver off to an unoccupied area of the café to stand out of people’s way. “What seems to be the problem? Shadow isn’t… hurting you is he?”

“W-What? No, he’d never… That’s not my problem, Blaze.” Silver takes in a deep breath and sighs as he runs his hands through his quills. “I came back to the past to befriend Shadow. I found him in the future, and it turns out he’s immortal, so if I’m able to befriend him now, we can be friends together in the future, and I won’t be alone anymore. But… I don’t know, but right now I’m really nervous about our meeting today. This is the first time we’ve met outside of his sparring area, and even after a few weeks of getting to know each other, I feel more nervous about talking to him now than when I first started hanging out with him.”

“Wait… So you’re telling me that this hangout with Shadow, here in this cafe, with that bouquet of flowers, is just platonic? A _friendly_ hangout?”

“Well, yeah. I thought that was obvious?”

Blaze stares at Silver blankly for a moment before allowing herself to giggle at Silver's naïvety. 

“Oh Silver…” Blaze shakes her head slightly before placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Look, I know Shadow can be intimidating, but from all second hand accounts of him, I can tell you that he’s probably just as nervous to be out in public with you like this. He’s kind of a loner, just like I was, and I know for a fact that a situation like this is a big step for people like me and him. So take solace in that fact and don’t stress out about it too much. You’ll be fine, Silver, I know it. Just remember to breathe.”

Silver does as he’s told, and his heart rate finally begins to settle. 

“Thanks, Blaze.” 

“It’s my pleasure.” Blaze lets go of Silver’s shoulder, but not before giving him a small pat. “Well, I’ll let you be for now. I'll be here for the rest of the week at Amy's place, so don't hesitate to come hangout." 

"I'll be sure to stop by sometime this coming week, don't worry."

“Promise?”

“Promise.” 

The two friends hug goodbye, and Blaze gives Silver a friendly peck on the cheek, a custom from her royal upbringing. Blaze heads back to Amy and Cream, who hand her a bag of food and giddily escort her out of the cafe. Blaze gives Silver one final wave before she disappears back into Station Square. 

Silver smiles, feeling a lot more confident now after that pep talk. He turns around to head back to his seat, but he ends up freezing when he sees that Shadow is already seated across from the bouquet. 

"You seem very close to the Sol Princess." Shadow is staring at the bouquet rather intensely, and Silver can see something hiding behind those scarlet eyes of his. Whatever emotion is it, Shadow is trying his damn hardest to repress it and stick to his usual stoic expression. 

Silver tilts his head in confusion until he realizes that Shadow thinks the bouquet was meant for Blaze. Walking over to the table, Silver gives Shadow a small smile. 

“Well, yeah. We’ve been good friends for years now, but we hardly have time with each other due to the whole dimensional separation.” Silver slides into the seat across from Shadow and picks up the bouquet. “Anyways, I brought these for you.”

Now it’s Shadow’s turn to be confused. His stoic expression is quickly wiped off his face and replaced with a bewildered stare as Silver offers him the bouquet of white carnations. 

“You two aren’t together?” Shadow finally locks eyes with Silver, who shakes his head at the question.

“Blaze is like an older sister to me. Besides, the only person I’m interested in right now is you.” Silver flashes an innocent smile, completely oblivious to how his words could be misinterpreted. 

Shadow, on the other hand, is left stunned by what Silver says. 

“I-” Shadow’s face gains a green hue as he struggles to find his voice. “I thought… You can’t be serious-”

“But I am. I’ve been showing you how serious I’ve been about this whole thing since day one."

Shadow stares at Silver with a conflicted look in his scarlet eyes. He cups his face in a feeble attempt to cover his blush (Silver is going to need to ask about the green coloration later), and he averts his gaze. 

“Silver, I know you've implied wanting to start that type of relationship, and I'll admit, you're a good person. But as flattering as it is, I don’t know if I’m emotionally ready for the level you’ve been proposing.”

“But we’re working on this together right now, aren’t we?” Silver plucks out a single carnation from the bouquet and holds it out for Shadow. "I know you've been scarred because of the loss of your own sister figure, so I don't expect you to be ready for anything too extreme soon. Wounds take time to heal, and my only request is for you to allow me to help you through that healing process."

Shadow’s gaze flickers between the flower and Silver. Taking in a deep breath, Shadow reaches out and takes the carnation from Silver, and his blush is reduced to a faint tint. 

“I don’t quite understand your methods, Silver.” Shadow twirls the carnation between his fingers, eyeing the flower. “But I suppose that's working in your favor. For now, let’s just keep things friendly; I can only emotionally handle one big change right now. Once I know and understand you as much as someone like Blaze, then I'll decide if I'll take you up on that relationship offer.”

“That’s perfectly fine.” Silver sets the bouquet down next to Shadow before picking up his menu. “So, what do you usually get here?”

Silver’s question is enough to break Shadow out of his awkward state and back into the present moment. Clearing his throat, Shadow turns his attention to the window, aimlessly staring at the people walking by. 

“Whatever the special of the day is and a cup of tea. I’m not too picky.” 

“Well I’m not too familiar with casual cuisine, so what’s something on the menu you would recommend?”

“I’d say order a panini, specifically the Jackpot Special.” 

Silver hums in response and waves down a waitress. After the two have ordered, Shadow looks back to Silver and lays his head on a hand leaning on the table. 

“Tell me, how is the future holding up?”

“It’s… alright.” Silver frowns as he reminisces. “People are thriving pretty well, technology has gotten as far as it could go, but the two things I do have some issues with is just how cold it is and the lack of biodiversity.”

“I had the assumption of the lack of biodiversity when you were on your outing with Sonic about two weeks ago.” Shadow grimaces as he remembers how brash he acted towards Silver, who tries his best not to notice. “How is the environment?”

“Green. Just… green. And it’s not even a pretty green, it’s like that dark evergreen color people only really tolerate during the holidays.” Silver shakes his head and lets out a groan. “Plants have been bio-engineered for maximum oxygen production, so all the plants that you’ll see growing in the public eye are lab grown. Flowers and the like are really hard to come by, and only the wealthy can really afford them. I don’t really understand why biodiversity was basically eradicated, but maybe I can find some time to learn the reason and fix that in the past.”

Their waitress returns with their respective drinks and quickly informs them that their food should be ready within another five minutes. Silver swirls the straw in his drink absentmindedly whilst staring at the table. 

“You seem quite upset with the state of your future.”

“I’m not really upset as much as I’m disappointed with it. I mean, this time is blooming with so many colors and life, and it just makes me wonder what went wrong?” Silver takes a hold of his drink and brings it up to his muzzle. “But hey, at least you’ll fit in with all the lab grown stuff.”

It takes a full second for Silver to comprehend the words that just slipped out of his mouth, and he freezes in horror. Shadow has a blank stare on his face, and Silver fears the worst. He drops his glass back on the table, fortunately not shattering it, and he waves his hands up frantically. 

“I-I didn’t… I don’t…I-I’m…” Silver tries to stutter out an explanation, an apology, anything, but his tongue is tied up. His face heats up in embarrassment, and he ducks his head into his hands, begging for death in that moment. 

“You don’t have much of a filter, do you?” 

Silver peeks through his fingers to see Shadow looking into his tea with a neutral expression, not a single trace of malice in sight. Slowly, Silver lowers his hands into his lap, but he continues to avoid direct eye contact with Shadow. 

“I didn’t mean it as an insult, the words just slipped out before I could process what I was saying. Chaos, I’m so sorry for being so terrible with words.”

“It’s not like I’m any better.” A crooked smile makes its way onto Shadow’s features, and Silver feels his heart skip a beat. “And you don’t have to worry about offending me, I can take a joke every now and then.”

“I still feel bad though. I shouldn’t be joking about your origins without explicit permission.” Silver lifts up his head to face Shadow directly, his face cooling down a bit, but his cheeks remain dusted pink. 

“Slip ups happen, Silver, but I do appreciate the fact you're apologetic about it. If you were Sonic, for example, the bastard would probably continue to joke about it and then someone would end up in the hospital. You're sensitive, and I like that.” Shadow then proceeds to pick up his bouquet and starts pulling out each carnation one by one, snapping off parts of the stem. 

“What are you doing?”

“I don’t want to be stuck carrying around a bouquet so I’m going to make a bracelet. I guess I should thank you for making this a small bouquet.”

Silver perks up, and his peachy skin color returns to his cheeks. He watches Shadow weave the bracelet in silence, and he’s impressed by how quickly he's able to finish the bracelet. It’s almost as if he’s mastered the skill. Once he’s done, Shadow slips the bracelet onto his wrist and shows it off to Silver, who gives a smile in approval. 

Their food arrives and the two eat in silence for the rest of their stay at the cafe. Once they’ve paid for their respective meals, the two head out of the cafe and idle for a bit. 

“Do you have anywhere to be right now?”

Silver is taken aback by Shadow’s sudden question, and he can feel his heart begin to race once more. 

“Not really. What’s up?”

Shadow kicks the ground and stares off into a random crowd of people. The action is uncharacteristically innocent for the Ultimate Lifeform, and Silver is slightly unnerved, but in a good way. 

“I was thinking of heading over to the botanical garden for a walk. I know you didn’t have the best experience with me there, so how’s about I make it up to you?”

Silver can’t believe what he’s hearing right now. His heart is pounding against his chest in glee, and that familiar warmth envelopes his entire chest and face. 

"I'd love to! I actually didn't get to finish seeing the entire garden, and this time I'll have you as my guide." Silver continues to spiel about biodiversity as they start their walk to the garden, and he's so caught up talking that he fails to notice the small smile that ghosts Shadow's lips for the entire walk. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slow burn gets more difficult to write the closer you get to the actual romance when you're ace/aro.


	8. But Getting All the Right Results

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver learns a few things about flower language. Shadow's facade is starting to erode.

“Foxglove is a notoriously poisonous flower that is known to dangerously affect the heart if ingested. All parts of this plant are poisonous, so be cautious when growing them in your own garden. Foxgloves have both positive and negative symbolism: a flower of healing or insecurity depending on the context.” Silver glances back at the flowers before him and furrows his brows. “I still can’t tell the difference between these flowers and Gladioli.”

“Foxglove blooms have a more bell shape while Gladiolus flowers look more like a five pointed star.” Shadow opens the page in Silver’s guide book to the one on the Gladiolus flower, and Silver hums in approval. 

“Well that makes it easier to tell them apart. Let’s see…” Silver walks over to another patch of poisonous flowers and flips through his guide book for its identity. “Pink flowers growing in circular bushes…”

Shadow strides up to Silver’s side and casually flips the page to the exact flower Silver is trying to identify. 

“Azaleas. The honey produced from their nectar contains a dangerous neurotoxin, earning it the name _mad honey._ ” Shadow recites all this information without even looking at Silver’s guide book, and instead focuses his attention on the flowers. “These flowers are so infamous that to receive a bouquet of them in a black vase is automatically recognized as a death threat.”

“That’s… really dark for such a beautiful flower.” Silver closes his guide book and tucks it under his arm. “What symbolism do they carry?”

“They’ve been used in literature to symbolize thinking of your home and wishing to return to it. Homesickness symbolized in short.” 

“You know a lot about all the plants in this garden. Did you memorize the guide book or something?” Silver tries to be playful in his question, but much to his surprise, Shadow actually nods. 

“I never had the opportunity to see flowers myself until I arrived on Earth. I started coming here when Tails brought me about two years ago, and I’ve been coming every Saturday ever since.” Shadow crosses his arms and starts heading away from the poisonous plant section, with Silver following suit. “I studied that guide book front and back so much that I’ve practically memorized every single word in it. And yes, I can even recite all the references in the back.”

Silver is amazed to say the least, and he smiles softly as he and Shadow stop at a patch of blooming trees. 

“Guess we have more in common than you’ve let on.” Silver leans his head against Shadow’s shoulder, much to his annoyance. Shadow shrugs Silver off, but Silver sees a faint smile twitch on his lips. “So, from all the flowers you know of, which one would you say would best symbolize you?”

Shadow takes a moment to think of his answer, and then points Silver over to a tree with cascading purple flowers. 

“I would say the wisteria is the closest.” Shadow opens Silver’s guide book onto the page on wisterias and allows Silver to read the passage out loud.

“A climbing vine part of the Fabaceae, the wisteria is renowned for its hardiness and fast growing nature as well as its longevity. The wisteria symbolizes many things: sensitivity, expanding creativity, endurance, beauty, immortality, and love. It is also associated with wisdom and is commonly given at weddings to the couple as a good luck charm.” Silver walks up to the dangling flowers and gently touches some of the blooms. “I can see the resemblance. Though I don’t see any green ones…”

“What’s with the interest in green all of sudden? I thought you were sick of the color.”

“I said evergreen is the shade of green I’m sick of. I’m thinking more of a pastel lime green or the same shade of green as that Chaos Emerald you always seem to have on you. Either of those shades of green on a wisteria would really compliment your red stripes.” Silver traces his own quills in reference to Shadow’s and looks back at the various shades of wisteria colors. “But I suppose the blue ones are the closest color that matches you.”

Silver’s expression suddenly drops at the thought, and Shadow arches a brow. 

“Is everything alright?”

“I… I don’t know why, but the thought of you with blue stripes instead of red stripes suddenly crossed my mind.” Silver shakes his head to forget the invasive thought, unsure why he suddenly feels dreadful or why it feels familiar. “I think it’s best to forget what I just said.”

Shadow’s face also twists in discomfort at the visual, though he’s much quicker to dismiss the feeling and redirect their attention to something else. 

“I have a complicated relationship with the color blue. There are only a few shades I can tolerate, though I will say that blue as a whole would better suit you in terms of a complementary color.” 

"You really think so?" Silver feels his face heat up at the compliment. 

"I wouldn't have said so if I didn't believe it." 

"That means a lot, especially since blue is my favorite color." Silver gives a shy smile, his heart fluttering. "So, what flower would you assign to me?" 

"Hm… there's a handful I could pick from. But if I had to choose the best match…" Shadow rubs his chin and looks around the garden. He motions for Silver to follow him, and he leads Silver to a patch of white flowers. 

"I'd say you embody all the traits of the freesia. These flowers are symbols for innocence and thoughtfulness, and giving a bouquet of colored freesias is a sign of friendship and gratitude." 

Silver stares at the flowers in awe and quickly flips through his guide book for more information. 

"It says here that they're quite popular at weddings as well, and the white ones represent the purity of the bride along with the trust between the couple." Silver looks up at Shadow, who has averted his gaze onto another patch of flowers. "Do blue freesias exist?" 

"Blue is one of the rarest colors to exist in nature, and unfortunately the freesia isn't one of the flowers to exist with that coloration. But with the advancement of cross breeding and artificial selection, maybe someday we'll have such a flower." 

"Could the same thing be said about green flowers?" 

"I suppose so." Shadow turns his attention back to Silver. "You mentioned that flowers are considered luxuries in your future. Where would someone seek them out if they wanted them?"

"Um… You know I'm actually not too sure myself. I live inland, and from what I've heard most of the wealthy class lives on the coasts. They say it's a lot warmer there and because of that, it's the only place where plants like these can grow. But where those plants come from is a mystery to everyone else." Silver lets out a slight sigh before turning to look at some of the overhead vines of the garden. 

"I'm assuming you've never been to a beach then."

"Obviously not. It's not like it's forbidden or anything; anyone can visit the coasts, but I had no reason to do so. What would I even be doing? I never had a reason to travel so far, let alone someone to go with." 

"Well, you're not alone here, are you?" 

Silver's eyes widen at Shadow's words, and he feels his heart skip a beat. He looks back over at Shadow, who is fiddling with his bracelet of carnations. 

"Emerald Coast is pretty close to here, only a two mile run. I'm visiting it in about two weeks, so if you happen to be free then, you can come with me. But only if you want." Shadow ducks his head once he’s done speaking, and that green blush from earlier returns, albeit much fainter. 

Silver immediately lights up at the offer, and his face reflects the warmth that begins to blossom in his chest with a crimson hue. 

"I-I'd love to go with you! And you don’t have to worry about my availability so much, you are the reason I came back to the past after all.” Silver smiles brightly, and Shadow’s blush only darkens. “We can talk about Emerald Coast more when we meet up at your training field. So, what times does that butterfly feeding session start?”

Fortunately, Silver’s question is enough for Shadow to finally come back to his senses, his blush fading away without a trace. Shadow goes to answer Silver’s question, but he's suddenly interrupted by the beeping of his communicator. Shadow is clearly upset by the interruption, but he quickly puts on his usual stoic expression as he answers the call. 

“Shadow, there’s been a security breach at our aquatic base in Sector Four. We have been unable to confirm if this is another attack by Dr. Robotnik or the work of someone else. We need you to join E-123 Omega on site to neutralize the threat.”

“I’ll be there as soon as possible.” Shadow cuts the call and turns to face Silver, who gives him an understanding smile. “I apologize for the abrupt end to today.”

“It’s perfectly fine. This is your job, and I can’t really tell you not to go. Plus, I had a lot of fun today with my time with you, so you don't have to worry about ending the day with me. We’ll see each other on Monday back on your training field, don’t worry.” 

“I suppose so.” Shadow idles for a bit, and Silver is going to ask if he’s going to leave when Shadow speaks up again. “Give me a quick second.”

Shadow disappears in a flash, and after a minute he reappears. He holds up his hand to reveal a single blue rose and extends it out to Silver. 

“A small thanks for the carnations.”

Silver’s eyes widen in awe, and he’s left flabbergasted by the flower. 

“I… You remembered.”

“I try not to forget important details.” Shadow smiles softly, and Silver’s heart almost explodes from just how warm and soft his smile is. 

Taking the flower, Silver can’t help but grin like an idiot at just how thoughtful and beautiful the rose is. When Silver looks back up, Shadow's smile is long gone and that stoic expression is back in its rightful place. 

“If you want to keep in contact with me outside of our meetups, I’d suggest asking Tails to make you a phone and get my number from him. I’ll be taking my leave now. I’ll see you later, Silver.”

“Good luck!” Silver gives a small wave as Shadow disappears for good this time. With Shadow gone, Silver turns his attention back to the rose, which he brings up to his muzzle, cupping a hand around the petals. It smells sweet. 

“Well, well, well… You’re awfully happy.”

Silver turns around and much to his surprise, Rouge is standing right behind him. She pushes up her sunglasses and gives him a curt wave. 

“H-How long have you been standing there?”

“The better question is how long have I been _spying_ on you.” Rouge strides up to Silver’s side and throws an arm around his shoulders, pulling him close. “And to answer that, I’ve been watching long enough to see that you’ve totally won over Shadow’s dead, cold heart. Goodness, I’ve been close to Shadow for years now, and he’s never bothered to get me a gift so willingly. I told you that you were someone special, Silvy, and that rose is proof of that.”

Silver looks back at the rose and twists it around, a soft smile ghosting his lips. He feels his heart fluttering against his chest, and his face feels warm and fuzzy.

“So, how do you feel about Shadow now? I'm curious to see if anything has changed."

Silver takes a moment to think of his answer. He has been feeling a lot more happy around Shadow, but he still can't explain that warm feeling he gets randomly. Maybe Rouge can help him figure it out. 

"I still hold him in high regard, but… I've been getting this weird feeling around him that started back when we first encountered each other. "

Now this catches Rouge's attention. Her ears immediately perk up, and she lets go of Silver to place a hand under her chin. 

"Go on." 

"Well… we fought a robot and it exploded. Shadow pulled me back and used his body to protect me from the explosion, though he really didn't have to do that since I made a force field to protect us. I heard how fast his heart was beating, and I felt something really warm take over my chest." Silver clutches his rose to his chest. "It was nice, and recently that feeling has become a recurrence. I'm not too sure what the feeling is, but it makes my heart race, I get really warm, and all I want to do is just…I don't know… I guess it just makes me want to get closer to Shadow. I've never felt like this with anyone before, not even Blaze, and I've known her for years at this point."

Silver looks back at Rouge, and he's left confused as to why she's covering her mouth and staring at him like he's grown a second head. Her eyes are bulging out of her skull, and she takes a moment to find her voice. 

"That's… quite a lot to take in." She rubs her temple while biting her lip, a conflicted look shining in her eyes. "Silver, as much as I'd love to tell you what it is you're feeling, I simply can't."

"But you know what this feeling is, don't you? So why can't you just tell me?"

"I do, sweetheart, but this is a complicated situation." Rouge shakes her head and motions for Silver to hand her his rose. He does so after some hesitation, and she starts trimming the stem. "I'm being honest here, Silver, I would love to just tell you what you're feeling. But if I do that, I'd be taking away the satisfaction of your realization." 

Silver frowns at her answer, and Rouge smiles sadly. She tucks the blue rose behind his right ear and lifts up his chin.

"Cheer up, Silvy. You'll be thanking me later on for letting you discover your feelings on your own. Now, I heard you wanted to feed some butterflies." Rouge pulls out two entry tickets for the butterfly exhibit, and Silver allows himself to smile. 

The two head over to the exhibit with Rouge rambling about her latest G.U.N. mission, yet Silver is too distracted by the blue rose’s petals brushing against his ear to actually listen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You got to have at least one reference to Mephiles if you're writing about Shadilver. 
> 
> At least that's what my heart says.


	9. Small Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frustrated with Silver's obliviousness, Rouge ends up spilling a major secret about Shadow while venting to Sonic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to speedrun Sonic 3 & Knuckles with Tails, but I keep failing the fourth Special Ring so I keep deleting the file out of spite.

“Darling, as much as I’d love to join your little expedition, it’s my day off.”

_“Rouge-”_

“Look, if you’re so desperate for company, why not call Silver and ask him to join you? I’m sure the Commander would be fine having him go with you considering how strong his powers are.”

_“Having someone tag along is a paperwork nightmare, Rouge, and you know that.”_

“Jeez, people would think I'd killed someone with that attitude of yours.” Rouge rolls her eyes before dodging a flock of birds flying her direction. “Just leave that mess to me to deal with, and do tell Silver I wish him the best of luck working with your stubborn ass.”

_“Real funny.”_

“Oh, I know,” giggles Rouge. 

She cuts off her communicator without another word and continues on her flight. Once she reaches her destination, Rouge closes her wings and allows herself to freefall. When she’s just a few meters from the ground, and she quickly shoots open her wings to soften her landing. Dusting herself off and fixing her hair, Rouge lets out a sigh before knocking on the blue door. 

Much to her relief, it’s Sonic who answers the door for her. 

“Rouge. What a surprise.” Sonic leans against the door frame and crosses his arms. “What brings you here today?”

“I’m actually here for a talk with you, Sonic. But firstly, where is Silver?” 

“He just left a few seconds ago, actually. Not sure where he went because he was in quite a rush. Did you need to talk to him as well?”

“He’s actually the topic of the conversation I want to have with you, if that’s alright.” Rouge nods her head, and Sonic finally catches the hint and allows her inside. 

The two walk into the kitchen and have a seat at the dinner table, with Sonic quickly serving Rouge a cup of water beforehand. Tapping her fingers against the wooden table, Rouge lets out a sigh as she tries to string her thoughts into words. 

“You’re uncharacteristically gloomy today.”

“Is it that noticeable?” Rouge smiles pitifully before tracing a finger over the rim of her glass. “I guess it comes as no surprise. Anyways, I’m here because I want to vent my frustrations about Silver and Shadow, and I couldn’t think of a better person to talk to about it.”

“Well, I’m glad to know you can trust me enough to vent. So that’s up with those two that’s got you so upset?”

Taking in a deep breath, Rouge leans an arm against the dinner table as her wings droop.

“Well, we both know that Silver has been succeeding marvelously with befriending Shadow, maybe a little too well if you catch my drift. And just a few days ago the two went out together for lunch and a walk in the botanical garden outside Station Square, and yes I was spying on them, don’t judge. Afterwards, Silver confided in me that he’s actually started to develop romantic feelings for Shadow-”

“I fucking called it!” Sonic suddenly springs out of his chair with a fist pump. “Tails is going to be so mad when he finds out I was right about those two.”

“Good to know I wasn’t the only one rooting for them to get together.” But Rouge’s frown doesn’t waver from her lips. “But here’s the thing: Silver doesn’t realize his feelings for Shadow are romantic in nature.”

“Well… that does sound like Silver.” Sonic sits back down and leans back in his chair as Rouge runs a hands down her face.

“And that’s exactly what’s frustrating me so much! He’s got all the warm and fuzzy feelings, he wants to continue getting closer to Shadow, and yet he’s just… so dense!" Rouge strangles the air in front of her and lets out a frustrated groan. "And it doesn't help that he wants me to just tell him how he feels, and now I feel guilty about leaving him to figure things out on his own. And then there’s Shadow who thinks Silver is trying to romance him, which Silver totally is doing but completely unconsciously-”

“Um, Rouge-”

“Chaos, the poor guy is going to be so heartbroken if he finds out Silver isn’t consciously interested in him-”

“Rouge-”

“But even when Silver eventually does realize he’s fallen in love with Shadow, what if Shadow has another mental breakdown about his immortality?” Rouge starts to tear up, and she grabs Sonic by the shoulders and shakes him violently. “I already lost Shadow as my best friend, so I can’t have Silver lose him as a lover just because the fool is terrified of-”

“Rouge!” Sonic takes a hold of Rouge’s arms and sets her hands down back into her lap. “Rouge, I need you to take in a deep breath and relax before you say anything else.”

Sniffling back her tears, Rouge nods as Sonic lets go of her hands. She takes in a deep breath before picking up her water for a sip while Sonic speeds off into his room to get a box of tissues for her. When Sonic returns, he waits for Rouge to calm down before speaking up.

“So… mind explaining the whole situation with Shadow? It seems like that’s bothering you more than anything right now.”

“I suppose the truth of our previous friendship would come out someday…” Rouge averts her gaze out the window and rests her chin on her hand. “Neither Shadow nor I have been honest about what happened for us to stop being so close outside of work.”

“It was a bit weird when Team Dark stopped hanging out so regularly… So what happened?”

“It all started when me and Shadow were searching through some G.U.N. files, digging up random secrets that the Commander didn’t want us to look at. We found the paperwork from the manufacturer that created Omega, and we discovered that… Omega would become decommissioned within the next hundred years due to the model’s predicted obsolescence. To say we were shocked is an understatement, but I feel like learning that secret triggered an emotional response from Shadow. After we put everything back, he said he needed some alone time, and I didn’t think much about it. It was never unusual for Shadow to say something like that… But he disappeared for an entire month, and I started getting worried because he’d at least show up for missions whenever he was in _‘solitude mode’_ , but he didn’t this time around. When Shadow did finally come back, he told me he wanted to distance himself from me and Omega. I was really confused at first and thought I’d done something to upset him, but after a bit of an argument Shadow finally confessed what was going on.

"He… never really understood the weight of his immortality until we found that file on Omega, and from there he realized… that… well… obviously neither Omega nor I were… going to stick around forever like him. We have our days numbers, Sonic, but Shadow doesn’t, and that’s what scared him that day.”

Rouge’s tears return, but much more aggressively this time around. She does her best to ignore the cascade of tears running down her cheeks, but her tears are scalding. 

“I-I was heartbroken to be breaking our friendship off outside of work, but I understood where he was coming from. I made him promise me that we’d at least continue being somewhat friends while we both continued to work for G.U.N. He agreed, and I tried acting like everything was normal.” Rouge hiccups as she plucks a handful of tissues to wipe her eyes. “But how can you forget years worth of friendship without feeling betrayed and hurt? And our friendship was just getting to the point where Shadow was just… starting to let himself be happy around me and Omega. I can count the number of times he’s smiled around me on one hand, and I was hoping that as time went on it’d only be a more frequent occurrence. But now he's back at square one with us, and I'm terrified that Shadow's going to do the exact same thing to Silver.”

Sonic stays silent while Rouge wipes away her tears and running mascara, and once she’s done cleaning her face, he leans forward in his seat. 

“As hard as it is to believe, I know for a fact that he and Silver will work things out themselves once they decide to get serious in their relationship.”

“But how can you be sure of that?” Rouge chokes back another sob. “What if he ends up breaking it off with Silv-”

“Rouge. Breathe.”

Biting her tongue, Rouge does as she’s told and shrinks back into her seat. Sonic sighs and holds out his hand towards Rouge, and she hesitantly takes it. 

“I know you care about Shadow’s happiness more than anything, but sometimes we have to take a back seat for the people we love and care about. Sure, it’ll hurt seeing them struggle, but they need to figure things out on their own or with different people and perspectives. You can’t keep mothering Shadow if you want to keep your sanity, Rouge. Remember, your happiness is just as important, if not more so, than anyone else's.” Sonic rubs his thumb over Rouge’s hand and gives her a small smile. “I’m not sure what’s going to happen once Shadow and Silver end up together, but that's their problem they have to solve together. And you don't have to worry yourself about Shadow giving up on Silver. After all, Silver is the first person since Maria that Shadow genuinely cares for, and I can promise you that he’ll stop at nothing to find a way to be with Silver. And until then, all we can really do is stand on the sidelines and wait to see how things turn out.”

Sniffling back the last of her tears, Rouge takes in a deep breath and nods her head slowly. 

“As much as it’ll hurt, I know you have a point. Thank you for this, Sonic.”

“Hey, it’s what friends are for.” Sonic gives Rouge’s hand a squeeze before letting go to stand up. “Now, I have some of Amy’s mascara and eyeliner in my bathroom from her last visit if you want to fix yourself up.”

“I think I’ll take up that offer in a bit. I just need some time to compose myself.”

Before Sonic can say anything else, a sudden flash of light in the front yard catches their attention. 

They quickly rush to the front window to see what’s going on, and they’re just in time to see a portal open up. A gush of water exits the portal followed by two Chaos Emeralds, one gold and one red, and finally a spherical, cyan force field comes crashing through just as the portal closes. The sphere pops as soon as it touches the ground, and it throws out Shadow and Silver onto the wet grass. 

Rouge looks over at Sonic, who puts a finger up to his lips before closing the blinds just enough for them to be able to see outside without Shadow and Silver noticing. 

“Of all the places Eggman could have chosen for his scheme, it was kind of ironic he chose Ice Cap." Shadow ruffles snow out of his quills as he stands up. 

"You know, I honestly forgot about our bet until you mentioned it." Silver picks up the two Chaos Emeralds with his powers, bringing the gold one to himself and handing the red one to Shadow. "Speaking of which, I totally won that bet."

"Actually..." Shadow smirks as he walks over to Silver with his Chaos Emerald behind his back. "You said to give you a month's time to befriend me. A month is around thirty-one days, and you took exactly thirty-three days to win me over." 

"Well, we just left Ice Cap, so unless you want to fight me to go back, I would recommend dropping the topic." Silver narrows his eyes at Shadow suspiciously, and the latter holds up his Chaos Emerald. 

"I don't need to take you back." Shadow steps back, and when Silver realizes what's happening, it's too late. "Chaos Control!" 

Time rewinds the fallen water from the portal and drenches Silver within a split second. Silver is left paralyzed from the frigid water, and a laugh escapes Shadow's lips. 

Silver stays quiet for a moment, and then he slowly lifts up his glowing hand. Suddenly, all the fallen water is gathered up with Silver’s powers, and before Shadow realizes it, a wave of the freezing water comes crashing down on him. 

Shadow shrieks in surprise, and Silver starts laughing uncontrollably at his reaction. 

Rouge has to cover her mouth with her hand to muffle her laughter while Sonic snickers softly to himself. As chaos begins to ensue outside, Rouge finds herself smiling.

In all her years of knowing Shadow, this was the first time she’d ever heard so much as a chuckle from him. 

Silver and Shadow truly are perfect for each other. Rouge just hopes they realize this sooner than later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all should really check out [Bdugo's Shadilver animatic: "Golden"](https://youtu.be/SjvRsNPNPyY). It's so freaking cute and well drawn, and it needs all the recognition it can get. They also have an AO3 account you can find here: [Bdugo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bdugo/pseuds/Bdugo)
> 
>   
> Thanks for reading! <3


	10. Fanning Embers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blaze knows Silver, and she knows that he can't understand subtext to save his life. Luckily for her, Amy is the perfect romantic willing to help explain a few things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to quickly confirm that no, I'm not really back with weekly updates (been too busy and stressed alongside writer's block). It has been a long time since I last updated, yes, and as a reader myself, I understand the frustration in waiting a lot time for an update, so as a thank you for you guys being so patient with me, I managed to finish up this chapter and have decided to post it despite my earlier promise. 
> 
> It'll be a long while before I finish this entire work, but I really want to go back to weekly updates so you all don't have to wait so long for updates. So thanks to all my subscribers on this fic, and everyone else who's silently checking for an update. Your continued patience and support is greatly appreciated. Enjoy this chapter as a gift from me to you. :)
> 
> (Side note: my rating has gone up to T mostly because of later conversations concerning the subject of morality. I can only afford to give teenagers an existential crisis at the moment.)

Silver has had his fair share of small crushes, but Shadow is most definitely his first real love. 

Blaze knew it was love the moment Silver had confessed his anxiety to her back in that Station Square café, yet she also knew it would have been unforgivable to reveal this to Silver. She has no right to explain his own feelings for him, and she made it extra clear to Amy that neither did she. Which was easier said than done for the pink hedgehog.

“You've never heard of tarot card readings?"

"Well, I remember you mentioning them a long time ago, something about them telling you to do something and then you met Sonic or whatever.” Silver waves his hand dismissively, much to Amy’s visible annoyance. “What about them?”

“I think we should focus on the dress you’re wearing right now, Amy,” Blaze interrupts. “And I have to admit, I think it’s about time you start wearing colors that aren’t all derived from red.” 

Amy flashes Blaze a scowl as she places her fists on her hips. The trio is currently at the mall to help Amy with dress shopping for her upcoming date with Sonic. How she managed to get Sonic to agree to it, Blaze isn’t too sure, but she is at the very least grateful that Silver had decided to tag along for her own sanity. 

“And what’s wrong with sticking to a certain color palette?”

“Nothing against you, Amy, but I think Blaze has a point. If you really want to impress Sonic, maybe you can try a green dress. It’d compliment your pink fur and really highlight your eyes.” 

“Huh, I’ve never really given green a second thought. I guess I’ll head back out and look for something cute and green.” Amy walks back into the dressing room to change, and Blaze looks over at Silver in question. 

“Since when have you been a color coordinating master, huh?”

Silver smiles softly at the question, his face dusting itself pink. 

“Well, Shadow’s been teaching me a few things about flowers and stuff, and color theory just… seemed natural to learn along the way.” 

Blaze waits until Amy leaves the dressing room to push Silver on the topic. 

“You’ve managed to grow very close to Shadow in a relatively short amount of time, Silver. I’m not sure if I should call you a charmer or a madman,” Blaze teases. 

“It wasn’t that easy to get Shadow to open up to me, you know. And there’s still certain things he doesn’t feel comfortable talking to me about, but hopefully that changes tomorrow.” 

“What’s so special about tomorrow?”

“Shadow is taking me to the beach. He kind of offered it at the end of our first lunch meet up, the same day I saw you, when I mentioned that I’ve never been to a beach before. And ever since Tails made me my own cell phone, Shadow and I have been texting non stop about the trip. And in the last text I got from him this morning, he said he wants to share something important with me while there.” 

Now this catches Blaze’s interest. 

“I don’t know Shadow as well as Amy or even you now, Silver, but I can say with certainty that this is highly unusual behavior for him. I mean, sharing personal information with someone you’ve acquainted yourself with within a little over a month’s time is suspicious, don’t you think?” 

“I mean… I guess it’s a  _ bit  _ strange that Shadow has gotten so comfortable around me despite our rocky start. Rouge even admitted it when I first started talking to her: Shadow refuses to spend time with people outside of missions. And Shadow’s known Rouge for years at this point…” Silver trails off, and Blaze can see the gears in Silver’s mind slowly trying to find a reason for this. 

“Alright, I’m back with these three dresses, which should I try on first?” Amy slips back into the fitting room and holds up the three aforementioned dresses. 

“Um… I think you should try pastel green one first.” Silver points to the off-shoulder Maxi dress in Amy’s right hand, and she quickly looks it over before stepping back into her dressing room. 

“Have you given any thought as to why that is?” 

“Huh? Oh, you mean about Shadow?” Silver leans back against the wall behind the two of them, and Blaze quickly conjures up a flame in her palm and extends it to him. Using his own powers, Silver begins to twist and weave the flame between his fingers as he takes a moment to think. 

“I never really took it as something strange. Everything just seemed to be moving along pretty naturally to me, and I think Shadow would say the same thing. But… you’re right about this seeming a bit out of character for Shadow. I guess I’ve just been so caught up with being his friend that I forgot that I’m actually his _ only _ friend. At least for the time being.” Silver extinguishes the flame in his fist, a look of conflict taking over his features. 

But before Blaze can say anything else, Amy steps back out of the dressing room. 

“So? What do you guys think?”

Blaze watches Silver shake away his worry and plaster on a fake smile for Amy, and she lets out a quiet sigh before focusing on Amy. 

“You look amazing,” Silver says. “If you can get your hands on some azaleas for your hair, then your outfit is basically complete. I don’t think anyone wouldn’t be impressed with how beautiful you look.”

“Jeez, did Shadow have a hand in teaching you purple prose as well?” Blaze nudges Silver with her shoulder, earning a blush from the hedgehog. 

“N-No. And I’m not just saying things to be flattering, Blaze, I’m being honest here.” Silver flicks Blaze’s forehead in defense, and she hisses playfully. 

“How rude of you to hurt a royal. But that aside, Silver’s right. This is definitely the dress for you.”

“Alright then. I’ll meet you guys outside once I’m done paying.” Amy waves them off before heading back inside to undress, and the duo quickly take their leave from the store. 

Once Amy is out with her new dress, they all decide to head for the food court for lunch. Amy keeps small talk amongst them while they’re eating, though Blaze is internally trying to figure out how to divert the conversation back onto the topic of Silver’s relationship with Shadow. She knows Shadow definitely reciprocated Silver’s crush on him, but the problem was that Silver still doesn’t understand that his own feelings for Shadow are romantic in nature. Blaze herself wasn’t the romantic type, but Amy most certainly is. 

“So, Amy, I don’t mean to be intrusive with your romantic life, but would you mind explaining what it is about Sonic that infatuates you so much?”

Amy takes a quick sip of her smoothie before setting it down and taking a minute to think over Blaze’s question. Silver also perks up at the question, and Blaze smirks to herself. 

“It’s kind of difficult to properly put all my emotions into words, since love is a really complicated series of different emotions mashed together. But I’ll do my best to describe it.” Amy begins to stir her straw absentmindedly before continuing. “At first, I was simply obsessed with Sonic for his physical appearance and general heroic kindness. I was a child, what did people really expect? But when we started hanging out more and as we grew up together, I realized I liked him for more than just those two things. I love how caring he is towards other people, his sense of humor, and how courageous he is. And after a lot of talks with Rouge for advice, I also realized that if I wanted Sonic to like me back, I had to make him feel the same way he makes me feel. Love is a two way street, and I’m lucky Rouge taught me that.”

“What does Sonic make you feel when you’re with him?” Silver questions. 

Amy’s eyes light up at the question, and Blaze can see devious intention in them. 

“He makes me feel safe; physically, emotionally, and mentally. I can be myself around him without having to worry about him judging me so harshly. And I’ve been doing my best to do the same for him. Everyone has a set of personal demons they never let see the light of day, but when you’re with someone you truly love and you know loves you, the two of you can work together to face those demons. I know Sonic allows himself to be the shoulder to cry on for just about everyone, but with me, I’m the one who lends my shoulder in his times of need.” Amy cups her flushed muzzle and leans against the table, a dazed look clouding her eyes. “In those moments, it feels like we’re the only two people left on Earth; he makes me feel like I’m his everything, and I hope that I’m doing the same for him.”

“That’s… a lot more profound than I was expecting,” Blaze says. 

“I’ve been learning a thing or two about language from Rouge as well.” Amy winks playfully, and it’s in that moment that her cell phone gets a notification. “Oh, I almost forgot that Cream is heading to my place in a bit. We should really head back once we’re done eating.”

Blaze wants to comment on Cream, but she’s distracted when she looks over at Silver. He’s staring at the table with a blank expression, and the lines in his rings are glowing abnormally bright. 

“Silver?” Blaze gently touches Silver’s shoulder, making him flinch. 

“Wha- Sorry, I was just… thinking.” There’s an uneasiness in his voice, and Blaze can only hope that he’s slowly piecing things together for himself. 

After they’re all done with their food, Amy continues to fill the silence with ambient conversation until they exit the mall. Once outside, Silver speaks up.

“Hey, Amy.”

“Yes, Silver?” Amy and Blaze both stop to turn back and face Silver, who is fidgeting with his rings and staring at the ground.

“This might sound weird, but… do you feel like you’re burning when you’re with Sonic?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say it’s  _ that  _ extreme, but there is a certain warmth I get in my chest whenever I’m around him. I’m pretty sure the feeling is normal for people that are in love.” Amy smiles mischievously, and Blaze mirrors the smile. “Why do you ask?”

“No particular reason.” 

_ You’re a terrible liar, Silver,  _ Blaze wants to say, but she can’t find it in herself to say it out loud. Instead, the subject is quickly forgotten as Amy continues to carry the conversation.

“I hope you have fun tomorrow with Shadow,” Blaze whispers. 

Silver doesn’t answer, but the crimson blush dusting his cheeks is more than enough to satisfy her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI, if any Shadilver authors ever receive a comment from an Anon named "That Anonymous Author from NMftBF", that's me! I love reading your stories as well when I have the time!!


	11. Sublimation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Sublimation:** _(Chemistry)_ The transition of a substance directly from the solid to the gas state, without passing through the liquid state.  
>  _(Psychology)_ A mature type of defense mechanism, in which socially unacceptable impulses or idealizations are transformed into socially acceptable actions or behavior.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back, bitches.

_“I’m pretty sure the feeling is normal for people that are in love.”_

Amy’s words have been echoing in the back of Silver’s mind since yesterday, yet he’s no closer to accepting his reality today than he was then. He can’t possibly be in love with Shadow; it’s absurd. The anxiety Silver gets around Shadow is simply because Shadow is naturally intimidating, that’s all. There’s nothing else to it. 

The voices that tell him otherwise are shoved to the deepest part of his psyche, yet it does nothing to lighten the weight all of this is pressing onto his chest. 

Silver lets out a sigh as he continues to stare off at the crashing waves in front of him. The beach is a lot colder than he had expected, but then again, it is pretty late into the night. The breeze is salty and sharp, and it’s a surprising upgrade from the future’s musky and soft winds. He feels more aware of his surroundings; he feels more alive. 

“You’re here a lot earlier than I had expected.”

Silver takes in a deep breath in an attempt to calm his racing heart before turning around to face Shadow. 

“I wanted to scope out the area beforehand. And I can see why Sonic isn’t too fond of the beach himself.” Silver looks at the flower wreath Shadow is holding, and he plucks the green carnation Rouge gave him from behind his ear. “Rouge told me to give this to you by the way.”

Shadow walks over and takes the flower from Silver, who takes a moment to admire how the moonlight carcasses Shadow’s ebony quills. And when intrusive thoughts of his own hands running through Shadow’s quills start to form, Silver has to rip his gaze away from Shadow and focuses it onto the horizon. 

“I didn’t know you two were acquainted with each other. I suppose you can thank her on my behalf for this.” Shadow tucks the flower into the wreath and starts heading closer to the shoreline, prompting Silver to follow him. 

“Rouge likes talking about you a lot, so Sonic kind of paired us up together in order for her to kind of teach me about you. She knows a lot about you despite the fact you two don’t really… hang out.”

“I’m not surprised. She’s a bit like Vanilla in a sense, always mothering people she feels close to. And…” There’s an ounce of hesitation in Shadow’s voice as he comes to a halt. “I… I honestly miss being around her. Outside of work and all that. But that’s a subject for another day.”

Silver wants to push him for answers, but seeing how conflicted Shadow looks makes Silver bite his tongue. 

“I’ll be more than willing to hear about that until then. So… What’s the special occasion for coming out here with the flower wreath?”

Shadow takes in a deep breath and looks down at the flower wreath in his hands. 

“Today… Today is Maria’s birthday.” Shadow looks out towards the ocean, making no effort to hide the anguish on his features. “When we were still together on the Space Ark, she always yearned to see and experience Earth’s oceans and beaches. I only got to share her last birthday with her before G.U.N. showed up, and she said that if she could visit only a single place on Earth in her entire life, it’d be a beach. It was her only wish.” 

Silver feels his heart drop, and a wave of self-consciousness suddenly overtakes him.

“Why is it that you invited me then?”

“When you told me you’d never been to a beach before, it immediately reminded me of her. And while I’ll never be able to experience this place with her, I can at the very least share it with you, Silver.” Shadow smiles sadly as he looks up at Silver, who is left flustered by Shadow’s words. 

“Y-Yeah…” _Did he really just stutter?_ “So, um... What are you going to do with the wreath?”

“It’s kind of a symbolic thing, but when someone dies, their loved ones will sometimes send flower wreaths off into the ocean as a type of burial. I got the idea from a book Rouge gave me a long time ago, and I’ve been sending Maria flowers for her birthday ever since; it's the least I can do to honor her memory." 

"That's really sweet,” Silver says. 

Shadow merely nods before setting the wreath on a receding wave, and the two watch the flowers get swept away by the ocean. Once the wreath disappears into the endless horizon, Shadow sighs before heading up the bank with Silver right behind him. The two take a seat under a nearby palm tree, and Silver finds himself messing around with the sand in an attempt to distract himself from the thick atmosphere. 

The full moon bathes the beach in a pale blue hue, and the sound of the crashing waves is a welcomed ambient sound. It’s very beautiful; a lot more beautiful than Silver ever imagined. He glances at Shadow out of the corner of his eye, and he feels his heart flutter at how relaxed Shadow looks. Silver looks back out at the ocean, questions buzzing in his head, and for once, he doesn’t feel intimidated. 

"Is it alright if I ask about her?"

"What do you want to know?"

"As much as you want to tell me, really." 

Shadow takes in a deep breath before bringing his knees up to his chest, humming softly while he thinks over his memories. 

“She was kind. Caring. And at times a bit naïve, much like yourself.” Shadow smirks at the comparison, and Silver can only huff in annoyance. “But her naïvety was distinct from your own. She never got to understand how different Earth was to her fantasy of it. All the books we read about Earth told of a flawless society where people had no place to worry about anything. She thought it was a utopia based on her books, and I did too for a bit. But that all came crashing down the day G.U.N. showed up. This planet isn’t as luxurious as our books made it out to be, and part of me is a bit glad Maria didn’t have to suffer the heartbreak of discovering that on her own.” Shadow suddenly pauses, and then his voice drops down to a whisper. 

“Sometimes, I wonder… if she was still alive and cured of her illness, would she still like me? I mean, she would have had her own life here on Earth, she might have had children of her own, and she’d be well into her senior years by now. And with all that considered, I’m left questioning whether or not she would have wanted me to stay in the picture. I’ve changed so much from the person I once was on the Ark, and I know she would have changed as well, but to what extent? Would _I_ even still like her? It’s a question that keeps me up at night at times even though I know I’ll never get an answer.”

“That’s… a lot to take in,” Silver admits. 

“I’m sorry for rambling, it isn’t your problem-”

“You don’t have to apologize for anything, Shadow. I’m actually honored that you’re more than willing to share this with me.” Silver picks up a handful of sand and uses his powers to shape it absentmindedly while he picks his words carefully. “I don’t know what it's like to lose a loved one, nor do I have much experience with grief as a concept, but I can understand the feeling of not wanting to lose someone because of change. 

"Back when me and Blaze were younger, we had a lot more time to spend together, but growing up, Blaze had to take up more responsibilities as the princess of her world. We started seeing each other less and less, and now, I hardly see her at all. But that doesn’t mean we’re not friends anymore. Friendships are always evolving with time, and the only way to keep them intact is to evolve alongside them. I mean, based on how fondly you remember Maria, I know for a fact you would have done everything possible to change alongside her because of how much you loved her. And I’m almost certain she would have done the same for you, Shadow.”

Silver lets the ball of sand disperse back into the beach before he looks over at Shadow, who’s staring right at him and on the brink of tears. 

Shadow is quick to look away and wipe away his tears, a faint green blush dusting his muzzle. 

“That… I really needed to hear that. Thank you.

“You’re welcome. Anyway, I’ve been meaning to ask you about when your face gets green-”

“My blood is green, alright? It's a side effect of being made with that stupid alien's blood. But that aside, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while, but I just haven’t had the chance to bring it up.”

“Lay it on me.”

"What about me is so intriguing to you?” 

"Well… I suppose your unorthodox ways are what really catch my interest first. You don't follow anyone, only your own beliefs, and I find that very admirable. Everyone is always describing you as an enigma, and I for one am naturally a curious person so it was only a matter of time I decided to try and understand you better. And I’m glad I did because as it turns out, you’re a real softie at heart, and that’s what I like most about you." Silver flashes Shadow a smile before asking his own question in return. "What about me? What separates me from your other acquaintances?" 

Shadow averts his gaze. 

"This is going to sound kind of cliché, but you're the only person I feel comfortable enough to allow myself to open up to, and not in the usual way. I mean, sure, I used to talk about my worries and such with Rouge when we were close, but it’s different with you.” Shadow smiles faintly before looking up at Silver. “I thought the person I was with Maria died alongside her that day, but it turns out I was only repressing him. And now I can be that person once more with you, Silver.”

Silver feels his entire body heat up with Shadow’s confession, and his mind short circuits when Shadow leans closer so that their shoulders touch. They stay like this for a while, and Silver feels like he’s going to faint from how hard his heart is racing in his chest. 

“I never asked your opinion of the beach.”

“I-It’s pretty,” Silver chokes out. “A-And kind of cold, much like the future, but I don’t mind this kind of cold. It’s welcoming, actually. And I think I kind of prefer how the beach looks at night compared to the pictures of it during the day I’ve seen.” 

“Do you want to go for a walk along the coast?”

“Yes!” Silver immediately jumps to his feet at the suggestion, taking it as an excuse to put some distance between himself and Shadow. “I’d absolutely love to do that.”

Silver doesn’t even wait for Shadow as he starts heading down the beach, taking in deep breaths to calm himself and thanking the frigid breeze for helping cool his face. 

_This doesn’t mean anything; I’m not in love, there’s no way I can possibly be in love-_

A flash of light appears next to Silver and suddenly Shadow is at his side, making Silver scream in surprise. 

“You’re awfully skittish today, Silver.”

Silver laughs nervously as he turns his burning face away from Shadow. 

“I’m perfectly fine! I’m just… a bit unnerved by how big some of the waves are,” he fibs. 

Shadow looks unconvinced, but much to Silver's relief, he doesn't question him further. 

“Well if you think these waves are bad, just wait until the next high tide hits. It’s amusing seeing people place camp near the shoreline and then watching them immediately realize their mistake when the next wave wipes everything they had away.”

“That’s pretty mean, Shadow.” Yet Silver can’t help but chuckle at the scenario, and Shadow merely shrugs his shoulders while smirking. 

Thankfully, Silver is able to calm himself down as they walk along the beach, conversing aimlessly. Every now and again, Silver picks up a seashell and asks Shadow about it, and he ends up pocketing a few that he finds exceptionally pretty. 

"Hey, the water’s starting to glow.”

Shadow over at the glowing waves Silver is pointing at, and he takes a few steps closer to the shoreline.

"It’s most likely a bioluminescent algae bloom. This area tends to get one every so often during the spring. Agitating the water will get them to glow, watch.” Shadow picks up a rock and flings it into a patch of still water, effectively lighting up where the rock splashes. 

“I’ve never heard of such a phenomenon, even in the future.” 

“Well then that’s good news. Algae blooms are pretty harmful to the environment, even if they do look pretty when they glow like this.” 

Silver walks close to the shoreline, and he silently admires how the wet sand lights up under his boots. Suddenly, an idea pops into his head, but before he can say anything, Shadow’s communicator beeps, much to Shadow’s visible disappointment. 

“Sorry to interrupt your night, Shadow, but we’ve gotten a report of some suspicious activity at Speed Highway. E-123 Omega has already been dispatched to the area, and is awaiting your arrival.”

“Copy that. I’ll be heading over there right now.” Shadow lets out a sigh as he disconnects, and he gives Silver an empathic look. “Sorry about that, but work never ends with G.U.N.”

"I don’t blame you, but before you go, let me try something real quick." 

“You’ve got about two minutes before they start questioning me.”

Silver nods before walking over to a glowing patch of the ocean. 

_Focus_. 

Taking in a deep breath, Silver concentrates his powers onto the glowing waves before him and takes hold of a portion of them. He brings the suspended water above himself and Shadow, and with a snap of his fingers, the water disperses into glowing droplets that Silver shapes into butterflies. 

Shadow is left awestruck at the phenomenon, and Silver ups his display by animating the butterflies, creating a vortex of sorts with the two of them at the center. 

Silver smiles to himself, pleased with creation, and when he looks over at Shadow, his heart skips a beat. 

The neon blue glow speckles Shadow beautifully, and the refracted moonlight slipping through only adds to the effect. The glow reflected in Shadow’s scarlet eyes is brighter than any Chaos Emerald Silver has ever seen, and it doesn’t help Silver’s heart to see that he’s also smiling without a care in the world. 

Silver feels his heart starting to race again, and his hands start to tremble. But before he can do anything to calm himself down, Shadow looks up at him, and Silver feels his knees weaken. 

“This is beautiful, Silver.”

_“Not as beautiful as you”_ , Silver almost lets slip, but he’s quick to bite his tongue. 

“I-I’m glad you think so.” Silver starts dissolving the butterflies, but Shadow is quick to hold out his hand. 

“Wait. Keep one of the butterflies and hand it to me.”

Silver does as he’s told and returns all the water aside from a single butterfly, which he holds out to Shadow. 

Shadow hovers his hand over the butterfly and produces a small flash of green light. The butterfly freezes and falls back into Silver’s hand as a solid object, much to Silver’s amazement. 

“I didn’t know you could do that.”

“I’ve been practicing freezing time on specific items for a while now; I’m just glad to see that it worked here.” Shadow starts fidgeting with his rings as he looks off to the ocean. “I should get going now. Thanks for showing up today, and for the talk we had.”

“I feel like I should be the one thanking you for inviting me, but you’re welcome either way,” Silver replies playfully. “Good luck on your mission.”

Shadow nods, but he lingers a bit standing next to Silver. Before Silver can question if anything is wrong, Shadow suddenly engulfs Silver in a hug. 

It’s a quick hug, but in those few seconds Silver gets how to breathe. Silver is left stunned by the action, and when Shadow lets go, Silver fails to notice him teleport away. Letting out a shaky breath, Silver looks around the empty beach, clutching the frozen water butterfly to his chest. 

A strong breeze sweeps through the area, but Silver doesn’t shudder due to the cold. Quite the opposite, actually. 

“Chaos, what have I gotten myself into?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't begin to describe to y'all how difficult writing this chapter was. Curse my yearning for fluff and my inability to write it without wanting to throw up.


	12. Love-struck Fool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver has trouble coming to terms with for his feelings for Shadow. Fortunately for him, Rouge and Blaze have been waiting for this talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bentley Jones confirmed last year (on [Valentine's Day, no less](https://youtu.be/WlKZI0p4k6g)) that Dreams of an Absolution is based on an ex-boyfriend he had, and in comments on the video, he is 100% on board with the idea that Silver is at the very least bi/pan. 
> 
> And I can not stress how not okay I am right now after learning all this. I haven't stopped internally screaming since I learned this last week.

Silver: _"ROUGE I NEED YOU COME OVER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I THINK I'M HAVING A MENTAL BREAKDOWN."_

Rouge: _"???"_

Rouge: _"Is everything okay? If this is an emergency, I think the hospital is a better option."_

Silver: _"I’M FINE. I'LL TELL YOU ONCE YOU'RE HERE. AND BRING BLAZE OR AMY, PLEASE."_

Rouge: _“Um… Okay? I’ll be over in a bit with one of the girls.”_

“Who are you texting?”

“Oh, it’s just Amy reminding me that she invited me to lunch today,” Rouge lies. If her intuition is correct, then Silver’s dilemma most certainly has to do with Shadow, who is currently seated at his desk across from her. “Speaking of which, I think I’ll be heading out now to get there early.” 

“You still have a mountain of paperwork left-”

“Darling, relax. This isn’t my first time procrastinating on it, nor will it be the last.” Rouge winks with her last statement, earning an eye roll from Shadow. “I’ll be back in about an hour or so, don’t miss me too much!”

“I won’t.”

Rouge can’t help but smile to herself at Shadow’s response. He’s been a lot more receptive to her playfulness recently, and she can only assume it’s Silver’s doing. Speaking of which, she hopes that the Sol Princess is still around in this dimension. 

If there’s one person that knows Silver better than himself, it’s her. 

* * *

“This can’t be happening, this can’t be happening-”

Silver continues to pace around his room in a panicked manner, frantically muttering to himself. Ever since he came to the realization that he did indeed catch feelings for Shadow, he hasn’t been able to get his pulse back down to his resting heart rate. 

How could he have let this happen? Nothing he and Shadow did together merited him catching feelings, and yet here he is, fussing over his feelings like a child. 

A knock at his door manages to snap Silver back into the present moment, and he quickly uses his power to open the door. 

“Did someone ring a wingwoman and Sol Princess?” Rouge steps inside with Blaze trailing behind her, and both women look startled to see Silver in his current state. “Oh dear.”

“Oh, boy. This is a lot more serious than I thought,” Blaze says before snapping her fingers, surrounding Silver in a circle of fire, effectively stopping him in his tracks. “Alright, I think that’s enough pacing around, Silver. How about we take this talk downstairs so we can all have a seat in the living room?”

Silver lets out a deep breath and nods, much to Blaze’s satisfaction. The flames around him dissipate, and Blaze offers him a hand, which he takes with some hesitation. 

The trio heads downstairs, and Silver is internally grateful that Sonic and Tails had to leave earlier for something. He wasn’t sure how he would handle those two eavesdropping on something like this. 

Blaze takes a seat next to Silver on the sofa while Rouge sits across from them in a loveseat. 

“Alright,” Rouge begins. “Where do you want to begin, Silver?”

“I messed up.”

“How?”

“I fell in love, that’s how!”

Rouge and Blaze exchange surprised glances at each other, and Blaze places her hand on Silver’s shoulder in an effort to comfort him. 

“Silver, that isn’t exactly a bad thing-”

“But I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with him!” Silver interrupts, swatting away Blaze’s hand. “I was just looking for a best friend, not a soulmate. Not that finding a soulmate is bad in any sense, but I’m not prepared to love someone like Amy loves Sonic. I don’t even really know what love really is or how to love someone properly!”

“Silver, dear, you need to calm down-”

“How am I supposed to calm down? I can’t even look at Shadow without feeling like I’m going to have a panic attack, so how am I supposed to have a normal relationship with him anymore?”

“Silver, sweetheart, Shadow already knows you like him that way.”

“Since when?” Silver nearly shrieks. 

“Ever since you mentioned that you wanted to see if you and Shadow were compatible, really."

“Compatibility- Wait. What does connotation mean?”

“Connotation is a bit tricky to explain, but it’s essentially the first thing you think about when you hear certain words. For example, when people hear the phrase ‘salty breeze’, their thoughts will automatically go to a beach,” Blaze explains. 

“What connotation does compatibility have?”

“A romantic one, really. When people want to see if they’re compatible, it’s always interpreted as wanting to start a romantic relationship. And Shadow’s been thinking you’ve been trying to get him to agree to a romantic relationship with him. He told me so himself in an offhand comment. And that meet up you two had at the Station Square café? He was so conflicted about what to think about it, but he ultimately saw it as an unofficial first date between you two, especially the whole botanical garden bit.”

Silver covers his face with his hands and lets out a loud groan. 

“This can’t be happening to me.” 

“Why are you acting like it’s the end of the world?” Blaze flicks Silver’s forehead, much to the hedgehog’s annoyance. “You were always fussing about wanting to get a partner when we were kids, what changed from then?”

“I wanted to be conscious of the partner I chose-”

“Are you saying that you aren’t happy that Shadow is the one who stole your heart?” Rouge questions. 

Silver goes quiet. And for the first time since yesterday morning, his heart rate finally calms down. 

“That’s not… No, I… I don’t know,” Silver finally admits in defeat. He feels Blaze wrap an arm around his shoulders, and he leans into her embrace. “There’s nothing wrong with Shadow; I think he’s as perfect as a potential partner can get. I just don’t feel like _I’m_ the right person for him.” 

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Silv. Surely if Shadow is making the effort to get close to you, it means he feels you are the right person for him.” 

“She has a point, sweetheart.” Rouge crosses her legs as she leans back in her seat, smiling to herself. “I don’t think there’s been a single day since your first date that Shadow hasn’t mentioned you in passing conversations. He’s been a lot happier since you showed up over a month ago, and he’s starting to open up more with me again.”

"But this whole time I’ve been unintentionally flirting with him and making him think I wanted a relationship before I was even ready for one. What if he gets mad at the fact I’ve basically tricked him-”

“You didn’t trick Shadow to do anything, Silver.”

“If anything, it was kind of expected from you." 

“Hey!” Silver pushes Blaze away, but there is no malice in his action or tone. If anything, he has to stifle back a laugh at her comment, and Blaze smiles mischievously in response. But his playful demeanor doesn’t last long. “I’m still worried about how he’ll react when I tell him the truth.”

“As long as you explain yourself, Shadow isn’t going to be too bothered. I’ve told you before, he’s a lot more forgiving than most people make him out to be. I should know considering my track record with the guy.”

Silver lets out a sigh as he recalls that conversation. 

“I remember; I should probably call him soon then. Tails mentioned that the time I’m allowed to stay in the past is starting to run out, and if I don’t leave within the next two weeks, time paradoxes are going to start forming.” 

"Well? What are you waiting for then? Call him right now.”

“W-What? But that’s too soon-”

“Silver, you and I both know you’re just avoiding the inevitable,” Blaze cuts in. “Your time here is running out fast, and I highly doubt you want to go back to a lonely future once again.”

Silver wants to argue with her, but he can’t. She’s exactly right.

“Fine. Just… keep quiet, the both of you. I don’t need anymore pressure to ask him out than I already have.”

Rouge makes a zipping motion on his lips while Blaze simply rolls her eyes and leans away from Silver as he pulls out his phone. 

_Here goes nothing._

The line only rings once before Shadow picks up. 

_“You do realize I’m still at work, right?”_

“Why’d you answer the phone then?” Silver lets a coy smile slip onto his lips as he hears Shadow let out a sigh. 

_“I can’t argue with that. So, what’s going on?”_

“I…” Silver looks over at Rouge, who gives him two thumbs up in silent support. “I was just calling to ask if you wanted to go out tomorrow?”

_“This couldn’t have waited until after I was done working?”_

“Well, it could have but… I got a bit impatient, that’s all.” 

Shadow stays silent for a bit on the line, and Silver starts internally panicking. Fortunately for him, Shadow chuckles to himself, and Silver feels his worry melt away. 

_“I can understand that. Where do you want to meet up?”_

"How about the botanical garden? We never really got the chance to do that butterfly feeding together.” 

_“How topical, I was actually thinking about that last night when you made that display. I’ll text you later once I’m off work so we can set up a time and place to meet up. I don’t need the Commander thinking I’m picking up Rouge’s bad habit of being on my phone all day.”_

“That’s great! We’ll talk more then.”

_“Good. I’ll be seeing you tomorrow, Silver.”_

“Alright, enjoy the rest of your day.”

_“I can promise you that I won’t.”_

Shadow hangs up without another word, and Silver lets out a deep breath he didn’t realize he was holding in the entire conversation. 

“I thought Amy was the only person who could physically display a love-struck expression for the longest time, but I’ve just been proven wrong.” 

Silver feels his face heat up with Rouge’s comment, and Blaze pinches his cheek playfully.

“Aw, my little brother is gonna get his first boyfriend.”

“You’re lucky I love you too much to kill you right now, Blaze.”

Blaze sticks out her tongue at him while Rouge claps her hands to get their attention. 

“Well, today was certainly something. I’m glad you finally figured out your feelings, Silver, after weeks of me doing my best to keep my mouth shut about it. I should get going now, Shadow is going to have my head if I don’t get back and finish all my stupid paperwork.” Rouge stretches as she stands up, and Blaze follows suit. 

“I need to get going as well. I was actually leaving for my dimension when Rouge showed up at Amy’s place; you’re lucky she caught me in time.” 

“I can’t thank you two enough for coming. I’m honestly not sure what I’d do without you guys.” 

“You flatter me too much, sweetheart. Well, have fun preparing for your date tomorrow, and please do call or text me if you need any help. As for you, Princess-”

“You don’t have to carry me back to Amy’s place. I can just leave from here with the Sol Emeralds.”

“Suit yourself.” Rouge gives the two one last wave before taking her leave. 

Blaze and Silver share one last hug before she opens a portal back to her world, and soon Silver finds himself alone once more. Letting out a sigh, Silver heads back to his room and collapses onto his bed. Looking over at his nightstand, his expression softens at the sight of his blue rose and the butterfly figurine Shadow had given him. 

Sitting up, Silver picks up the two items and looks them over. Tails had coated the rose with a special gel that would prevent it from drying out, and the butterfly was still glowing as brightly as it was last night. 

Was he really ready to start a relationship with someone, let alone Shadow? They were on opposite sides of almost every spectrum, from their origins in time to their attitudes, and yet despite all of that, they had bonded. That’s something Silver can’t deny. And it was honestly a bit frightening how quickly they grew close, but then again, they’ve both been making an effort for each other.

But is that enough to build a relationship on?

Guess he’d have to find out tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep forgetting to link this one-shot I wrote a while ago. It's a bit closer to my usually style of writing in terms of tone, so please do be sure to check it out. 💚♠️💜 
> 
> [Catching Icarus](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27110224)


	13. Serendipity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver finally comes forward with his feelings for Shadow, whose reaction is not what Silver expects.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy ~~Valentine~~ Sonic Movie premier anniversary, my lovelies.
> 
> I'm so fucking excited (and nervous) for the sequel next year! Knuckles is rumored to be playing a major part in it, I can't wait to see how Sonic is going to react to him. And the writers better not mess up Tails or I'm going to flip my shit.

“Everything is going to be perfectly fine. There’s nothing to worry about,” Silver tells himself.

Taking in a deep breath, Silver quickly fixes up the bouquet of red and green carnations he’s holding. It's a bit of an odd combination of colors, but Sonic had insisted that Silver give Shadow a handful of red carnations due to their connotation of romance and love. As for the green carnations, Sonic hadn’t actually said anything about them, nor had Shadow in past conversations, but Silver liked the color and thought it’d suit Shadow nicely. 

Speaking of Shadow, he had texted Silver that he’s going to running a few minutes late for their meetup, and Silver was internally grateful he had a bit more time to make sure he didn’t lose his composure the second he sees Shadow. 

It’s a bit unnerving knowing that he’s been unintentionally courting Shadow the entirety of what he thought was a budding friendship, and while Rouge had assured him not to be too worried about Shadow’s reaction to learning this, Silver is still nervous. How could he not be? Shadow as an individual is known for his trust issues, and the thought of losing him to something as pathetic as this shook Silver to his core. 

Silver’s phone gets a notification, but he doesn’t need to open the message to know what it says. He can already see Shadow making his way towards him. 

Swallowing his anxiety, Silver takes a few deep breaths before standing up from the bench he’s seated on and giving Shadow a small smile as he approaches. 

“You really don’t have to keep getting me flowers, Silver.” 

“I’m going to be honest, I have no idea what else to gift you aside from flowers,” Silver says sheepishly. “So… What was holding you up?”

“I got a bit distracted while walking by the shopping district of Station Square.” Shadow holds out a white gift bag towards Silver, who failed to notice it beforehand. “I saw this in a window display and thought of you, so I bought it.”

Silver does his best to fight back a blush, but to no avail. 

“You really didn’t have to buy me anything.”

“Well, I wanted to,” is all Shadow says, and it’s more than enough for Silver’s heart to melt as they exchange gifts. "Now, you said you wanted to talk about something serious today in regards to our relationship."

"I do, but first, let's head inside. I need some time to calm myself down first."

Shadow doesn’t comment on Silver’s statement, much to Silver’s internal relief, and the two head inside without another word. They quickly buy their tickets for the butterfly feeding, and both are given a bowl of assorted fruits to feed the butterflies from. 

While this isn’t Silver’s first time in the butterfly garden, it is his first time here with Shadow. Not to undermine the time he spent with Rouge here, but things are just brighter with Shadow (if that makes any sense). 

And just like with Rouge, the two are immediately swarmed by butterflies the second they step into the garden. Silver is quick to direct Shadow to a nearby bench, and once seated, they're in a better position to feed the butterflies carefree. 

The way the butterflies surround the two is very reminiscent of that night on the beach, and Silver’s heart skips a beat as he remembers how warm Shadow felt while he embraced him. Despite how cold the beach was that night, Silver has never felt closer to being burnt in his entire life, and he’s sparred with Blaze a handful of times to know so. 

And even now, silently watching butterflies land on Shadow’s hands and quills is more than enough for Silver to feel that burning sensation once more. 

“So… is there a chance you happened to memorize a field guide on butterflies?”

Shadow lets out a sigh as he rolls his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips. 

“Perhaps.” 

“Well then, what are these shiny blue ones called?” Silver lifts up a handful of said butterflies, and Shadow looks them over carefully. 

“Those are blue morphos, and only the males are this bright blue color. And this one over here is actually a pipevine swallowtail. Pipevines were going extinct in this area until recently, but fortunately conservatories like these do their best to help breed butterflies in a safe place for the best chance of survival.”

Silver looks over the pipevine, admiring its black to blue gradation and the orange spots on the underside of its wings. 

“I think the pipevine is my favorite of the blue butterflies. Let's see… what about those green ones with pink on their wings over by those vines?”

“Those aren’t butterflies. Those are luna moths, and you can tell because their antennae are feathered and they lack a mouth.” 

“How do they eat then?”

“They don’t. They survive on the fat they gained while they were caterpillars, and live about two weeks before they die. Their only goal is to breed before then, and the cycle continues.” 

“That’s… kind of-”

“Counterintuitive, I know, but it’s not like butterflies live any longer. Beautiful things never last long."

"I wouldn't say that's entirely true." 

"Give me an example of something that doesn't lose any quality of its beauty over time." 

"I'm looking at my example right now." 

Shadow tenses with Silver's words, and Silver feels his blood run cold from the awkward atmosphere he’s just created. A thick silence blankets the two, and Silver internally curses himself for trying to be an outward flirt. 

“What did you want to talk about today?” Shadow finally says after a minute or so. 

Silver takes in a deep breath before setting his fruit bowl off to the side. 

“There was a bit of misunderstanding on my part in terms of the type of relationship I thought I was building with you, Shadow.” 

“What do you mean?”

Silver ducks his head in embarrassment while fiddling with his rings. 

“I… I thought that we were building a platonic friendship together up until the other day at the beach, and it’s only now that I realized I… may have accidentally convinced you I wanted a romantic relationship before I even realized I was ready for one myself. And the reason I’ve been so skittish is that I’m only just realizing I like you a lot more than I thought I did. Romantically speaking.” 

Silver risks looking up at Shadow, who is staring blankly at him. No anger, no confusion, nothing. 

But then, out of nowhere, he bursts into a fit of laughter, scaring away a cloud of butterflies. 

Silver is left dumbfounded by Shadow’s reaction, and yet he finds himself a bit more relaxed at the sound of Shadow's laughter. He also can’t help but silently admire Shadow’s sharp canines in full display. 

Shadow calms down after a minute or so, and he clears his throat before speaking up. 

“I knew you were oblivious to a lot of things, but this just takes the cake.” Shadow wipes a stray tear from his eye as he finally regains his composure 

“You… You’re not mad at me?”

“Why would I be?”

“I mean, I unintentionally pressured you into pursuing a romantic relationship with me-”

“Silver,” Shadow interrupts. “You didn’t pressure me to do anything against my own will. I’ll admit, I was really hesitant to accept your initial offer of friendship at the beginning of this, but that’s because I’m just naturally defensive. But once we got past that, my own feelings for you started to grow the more time we spent together. Nothing was forced, Silver."

Silver immediately feels lighter with Shadow’s confession, and for the first time since their initial meeting, he feels like he can breathe easily again. 

"That really takes a weight off my chest. I honestly thought I was going to lose you today."

“If you had said so earlier on, you might have. But after everything I’ve confessed to you, the only way you’d lose me is if I get killed.”

“That… isn’t very comforting-"

“Anyway,” Shadow continues, ignoring Silver’s comment. "I'm curious to know what made you realize you were actually courting me instead of simply befriending me." 

Silver laughs nervously as he starts picking at his gloves. 

"I went out with Amy and Blaze a few days ago, and Blaze kept asking Amy a lot of questions in regards to her feelings for Sonic. As she was explaining everything she felt around him, I started realizing that I felt all those things around you, but even then I was in denial.” 

“So what made you accept your feelings?”

“Back at the beach, I think that was the most relaxed and happy I’ve ever seen you, and I realize then how much I love seeing you like that.” Silver traces the symbol on his palm with his thumb, his heart racing at the memory. “The ability to be the one person who makes you feel the most confident and secure, I want nothing more than to be that person for you, Shadow.”

Shadow stays quiet for a bit as he processes Silver's confession. 

“When I realized I had fallen in love with you, Silver, I won’t lie: I got scared. People who don’t know me very well always have this violent and twisted image of me, and to an extent, they’re not entirely wrong. I’ve been doing my best to get better, even if I can’t stand some of those people, but when you unintentionally proposed a relationship between us, I felt like I wouldn’t be able to meet whatever image of me you believed in. And yet you stayed with me despite everything I thought would drive you away.” 

Shadow lets out a sigh as he leans back on the bench, fiddling with a green carnation he plucks from his bouquet.

“I don’t feel comfortable talking about half the things I’ve confessed to you to anyone else, not even Rouge. That whole hypothetical with Maria I talked about at the beach is something I’ve never even admitted out loud to myself. But with you, it feels like I can talk about just about anything without being judged. It really does feel like-”

“We’re the only two people left on the planet,” Silver finishes. 

Shadow looks over at Silver in surprise before allowing a soft smile to grace his lips. 

“Exactly.” Shadow sits up and snaps a piece of the carnation stem off before slipping the flower behind Silver’s left ear, earning a small smile from him. “You still haven’t opened your present, by the way.”

“Oh yeah, I should probably do that right now.” Silver picks up the bag and opens it, and what he pulls out leaves him speechless. 

It's a long, cyan scarf with a flower print pattern and a few embroidered butterflies scattered about it. Silver feels his heart stop as he connects the dots between the scarf and Shadow’s earlier statement, and he starts welling up, much to Shadow’s confusion—and mild concern.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m perfectly fine. I’m just full of a lot of emotions right now, and I don’t know how to handle them,” Silver chokes out while wiping away his tears. “Chaos, I just want to crush you with a hug right now.”

“About that…. that was kind of a spur of the moment kind of thing back at the beach; I’m not… actually that comfortable with physical contact, at least for the time being. I’m used to Rouge hugging me because I’ve known her for years, and while I do love you, I just need a bit more time to get used to… how you feel, if that makes any sense.”

Silver quickly clears his throat and wipes away the rest of his tears before giving Shadow a reassuring nod. 

“You don’t have to pressure yourself into an uncomfortable situation for my sake. Blaze is the same way, so it’s nothing new to me. And I love you too.”

Shadow’s face erupts into a green mess, and Silver can tell that he wasn’t prepared for Silver to reciprocate his words. 

Silver lets himself chuckle as he wraps his new scarf around his neck. 

“You look really cute when you're flustered.”

Shadow doesn’t say anything in return. Instead, he turns his face away from Silver and slips his hand into Silver’s, much to the latter's surprise. 

"I need more time to be ready to kiss you, but I'm fine with this for the time being." 

Silver’s heart melts with Shadow’s words, and he smiles softly as he squeezes Shadow's hand in return. They fall into a comfortable silence for the rest of their time in the garden, completely forgetting about their fruit bowls and the swarm of butterflies surrounding them. 

For now, holding hands is more than enough for both of them to know they’re not alone anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really miss my epilepsy inducing son and my murderous Super Flickies.
> 
> #BringBacktheSuperEmeralds


	14. To Love and To Cherish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look inside Shadow's side of the story.

If you had asked Shadow if he would have ever considered dating someone about two months ago, he would have most likely scoffed at the idea and ridiculed you for even suggesting such a thing. 

So when Silver had unintentionally proposed the idea of dating, Shadow had been certain that Silver would leave him the second his insecurities started to surface. Yet Silver’s determination to grow closer to him only grew stronger with each aspect of Shadow’s underlying personality that shined through, and here they are now.

It’s… strange. 

Strange to be so comfortable while he’s so openly vulnerable to another person, and strange for that person to not be repulsed or unnerved by his personal demons. 

And Shadow couldn’t be happier with this new strangeness in his life. 

The only problem with it is that he doesn't really have someone to talk to about it. Or at least that's what he keeps telling himself. 

Shaking his head, Shadow turns away from his window and looks over at his collection of gifts from Silver on his desk. The carnation bracelet, his most recent bouquet, and the maple leaf Silver gave him way back when they had sparred that first time. 

He's frozen all these items in time to preserve them, and he picks up the maple leaf as he continues to wallow in his thoughts. 

Sure, he had mentioned a few things in passing to her, but he hadn’t _really_ talked to her. It’s been over a year since he had a real conversation with his former best friend, and while he had been speaking a bit more to her at work, that didn’t change the fact that they still weren’t talking outside of it. 

He had his reasons for breaking things off with both her and Omega, but those same reasons could very much apply to Silver as well.

So why is he still so hesitant in asking for forgiveness?

Letting out a deep sigh, Shadow sets down the maple leaf and picks up his phone to open up his photo album. Most of them are just photos of Silver he’s taken over this past week, but he isn’t looking for Silver right now. Scrolling to the very first photo on his camera roll, Shadow takes a moment to reminisce. 

It’s a selfie Rouge took with him a few years ago; her arm wrapped around his shoulder as she smiles brightly for the camera. At first glance, Shadow looks annoyed in the photo, but if one were to look closer, the slightest smile can be seen on the corner of his lips. She had been the one to gift him the cell phone and said something along the lines of “claiming the first spot in your contacts and photos”, and he remembers rolling his eyes at her giddiness. 

Since then, she’s grown and changed, not a lot, but she has certainly aged. Yet he looks exactly the same, and it rubs him the wrong way. 

Locking his phone, Shadow tucks it away before walking back to his window, making up his mind then and there.

He can deal with his internal dilemma later. If he's lucky, he won't have to deal with it alone. 

* * *

_“It’s nerve-wracking, I can understand that much, but I can promise you that everything is going to work out perfectly fine. This is Rouge we’re talking about; you’re her favorite person in the whole world from what I know.”_

“I still have my doubts about how she’ll react-”

_“She’s going to be happy to see you again, I’m sure of it,”_ Silver cuts in. 

“I hope so.”

_“Well, I shouldn’t delay you any further. I’m heading out with Sonic for a mission he invited me to, so I’ll be sure to text you once I’m free. Don’t miss me too much.”_

“I won’t,” Shadow says, smirking at the sound of Silver huffing out an annoyed sigh. He hangs up without another word, and he takes in a deep breath as he stares at Rouge’s front door. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he'd been here, and it only adds to the guilt pressing on his chest. 

Not wanting to allow any anxiety to creep up on him, Shadow knocks on the door without a second thought, holding him breath as he waits for Rouge to answer. 

The door clicks open, and when Rouge sees Shadow standing in front of her, she freezes. 

"Shadow…” Rouge clasps her hands together in front of herself, rocking on her heels with visible unease. “What brings you here today?" 

"I want to have a serious talk with you, if you'll allow it." 

Rouge’s eyes widen in surprise with Shadow’s words, and she physically perks up as she opens her door wider. 

“Of course, come inside.” 

Shadow enters with a bit of hesitance in his step, and Rouge leads him to her kitchen table to take a seat. Once seated, she's quick to fold her hands under her chin and tilt her head intently, eyeing Shadow zealously. 

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

Leaning back in his seat, Shadow inhales sharply as he drums his fingers on the table. 

“Oh course you know that me and Silver have gotten together, and I’m assuming you played a bigger part than you’ll ever admit to me, but that aside. I finally found someone to talk about a lot of things I never thought I’d outwardly admit aloud to another person, and yet the more time I spent with Silver, the more I realized I don't have anyone to talk to about him. Silver has Blaze, he even has you now, and yet I’ve been left alone with my thoughts and feelings about him, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I genuinely miss being around you outside of work. Silver made me realize that it was a mistake to break off our friendship for such a trivial fear.” 

Rouge stays quiet for a bit, her brows furrowing with her thoughts. 

“Aren’t you still scared about inevitably losing me?”

"I’m terrified. But after talking with Silver about Maria, I came to terms with the fact that if she had lived, I would have lost her eventually. But that doesn’t mean I would have abandoned her, which made me realize it was hypocritical to do so to you.” Shadow leans forward and extends his hand towards Rouge. “It’s going to hurt a lot once you and Omega are gone, but the regret of not being with you in your remaining years will always hurt more. So… are you willing to let me back into your life again?” 

Rouge starts welling up heavily, and her lips start to tremble, and for a moment Shadow thinks he’s said something wrong. It isn’t until he’s suddenly engulfed in a bear hug and lifted up into the air while Rouge sobs into his shoulder does he feel a weight lifted off his shoulders. 

“Of course I will, you bloody idiot.” Rouge gives Shadow a squeeze before lowering them back onto the floor and pulling away from him. "I missed you so much, Shadow.”

“I missed you too, Rouge. And your mascara is running.”

Rouge laughs to herself while cupping her face.

“And you’re still an expert at ruining the mood, darling.” Sniffling, Rouge grabs a handful of napkins from her table and wipes away her tears, ignoring the fact she’s smearing her mascara even further. Once she and Shadow are seated again, she claps her hands and smiles brightly. “Now, you need to tell me everything about you and Silver, from the beginning to the most recent date you two have gone on. I've been dying to know how things played out from your perspective." 

“I have a strong feeling you’ve been stalking me through most of our time together.”

“Stalking is such a harsh word. I’d say that I was just keeping an eye on you while exercising my skills as a spy.” Rouge winks coyly. “But don’t worry, I didn’t pry too much into your time together, only your first unofficial date and a few outings.”

“Touché.” Shadow pulls out his phone and slides it over to Rouge, who’s quick to start looking through his photo album. “At first, I was pretty suspicious of Silver’s sudden affinity for wanting to befriend me, but after realizing he was being genuine in his goal, I decided to go along with it. I was curious to see how far our relationship would go, considering I thought he wanted to date me right off the bat.” 

“Oh, the poor soul was already so in love with you by then, Shadow. It was a fucking nightmare talking to him knowing he didn’t even understand his own feelings.” 

“I can only imagine how often you had to physically bite your tongue to keep your mouth shut.”

“Don’t remind me,” Rouge says as she rolls her eyes. “What about you? At what point did you start feeling the same for Silver?”

Shadow hums while he tries his best to deduce that point. 

“I don’t really know. If I had to guess, it was somewhere between the first time we visited the botanical garden and when we went on that mission to Ice Cap. But I’d say it was the night Silver and I were at Emerald Coast that I knew my feelings were definitive.”

“Is that where you snuck this picture of Silver?” Rouge shows him a photo of Silver grinning while looking over a seashell, and Shadow tugs at his gloves as he averts his gaze.

“Maybe.”

“You’re a real romantic, I hope you know that,” Rouge muses. "So how much has your relationship with Silver changed since you two made things official?" 

"In all honesty, not much. The only new thing is that Silver is really into holding my hand at all times now. We greet each other more affectionately as well, but that's about it, and I don't mind it." 

“In that case, how was it?"

"How was what?"

"You know, your first kiss with Silver."

"We haven't kissed yet. Well, not intimately at least. I let Silver kiss my muzzle from time to time, and he always makes sure I’m fine with it first before doing so.”

Rouge coos while crossing her legs with a ditzy smile. 

“Oh, that sweet thing. I know a handful of people who would kill to have someone like that in their lives.” Rouge’s expression suddenly sobers, and her voice drops down to a whisper. “I know you’ll be fine once I’m gone, but what about Silver? The loss of a soulmate is far worse than that of a close friend, subjectively speaking.”

Shadow lets out a heavy sigh as he leans forward in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest in the process. 

“I didn’t want to think about that for the longest time, but I have no choice but to face the fact that I can’t stay with Silver while I’m still immortal. I have a vague idea of how to solve my dilemma, but I need to check up with Tails to see if it’s even plausible.” 

“What do you have in mind? Passing on your immortality to Silver?”

“And subject him to the same burdens I carry? No way in hell. I’m going to do the exact opposite, Rouge.”

Rouge takes a moment to process Shadow’s implication, and when she connects the dots, her eyes widen in shock. 

“Shadow, you wouldn’t-”

“I would, and I will if it’s possible.”

Rouge grips her hands tightly in front of her face while furrowing her brows, uncertainty written all over her features. 

"I know you care about Silver more than anyone you’ve met, but how can you be sure such a sacrifice will be worthwhile? I-I’m not trying to put doubt into you, but… you’re going to be giving up a part of yourself if you do that.”

“The only part of myself I’d be giving up is whatever remnants of Black Doom and his stupid species still exist within me.” Shadow lifts up his hand and ignites a handful of Chaos energy, staring at it with disgust before swiftly extinguishing it in his fist. 

“But will it be worth it?” Rouge repeats. 

Shadow looks up at Rouge, a look of absolute certainty shining brightly in his scarlet eyes.

"Love will always be worth it, and nothing will ever change that. You’re the one who taught me that a long time ago.”

Rouge stifles back a dry laugh while shaking her head solemnly. 

"I do remember drilling that idea into your head, yes. Though I'll admit, I never thought you'd be the one to be repeating it so confidently back to me." She reaches across the table and takes one of Shadow's hands into her own, holding it tightly. "But that doesn’t change the fact that I’m still going to stick with you no matter what. And if you want to give up your immortality for Silver, I’ll support you every step of the way.”

Shadow allows himself to smile softly at her words, and Rouge rubs her thumb over the back of his hand in return. Their moment, however, is interrupted by the sound of Shadow's cell phone getting a notification. 

Shadow takes back his phone and quickly skims the message Silver sent him. 

"Silver's just invited me to an ice cream parlor he's just found near this place called Soleanna." 

"Soleanna… I'm pretty sure that's the City of Water Amy was talking to me about yesterday. It's a nice city from the pictures she showed me, though there isn't much you can really do there aside from sightseeing." Rouge waves her hand dismissively, and Shadow puts away his phone before standing up and offering her a hand. 

"Do you want to come with?" Shadow asks. "It's been forever since we've gone out, plus it'd be nice to spend time with my best friend and new partner at the same time." 

"You’ve really lost your touch if you think you actually need to ask me such a thing.” Rouge takes his hand and lifts herself up with a bounce in her step. 

“Great. I’ll text Silver that we’ll be there within twenty minutes or so.”

“We aren’t teleporting there?” Rouge raises a brow at Shadow, who smirks mischievously. 

“Are you saying you can’t fly that fast anymore?” He questions, and Rouge places a hand on her chest dramatically as she feigns offense. 

“Ugh, you lazy bum. I should have known you would only come back if it meant getting a free lift out of me.” She punches his shoulder in return, and Shadow can’t help but let a small laugh slip through his lips. 

Heading outside, Rouge immediately grabs onto Shadow’s forearms and lifts them up into the air. She starts talking aimlessly, with Shadow humming in response every now and then. Rouge ends up laughing at something Shadow says along the way, and it isn’t until now that Shadow realizes just how much he missed the sound of Rouge’s laughter. 

Tightening his grip on her forearms, he promises himself never to let go of her ever again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never used tumblr before, but I've seen other authors use it as a way to communicate with their readers outside of Ao3. I'm not sure anyone would want to do so with me, but I'm letting you decide. 
> 
> If you'd be down, just leave a butterfly at the end of your comment (🦋) to let me know.


	15. Til Death Do Us Part

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Tails on his side, Shadow begins working on finding a solution to his immortality. Silver, however, has his doubts about Shadow's plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Telomeres are still being studied to this day so there's not of conclusive information about them readily available. The scientific journal I'm basing all my information about them on is [The root of ageing lies in telomere: A review article](https://www.alliedacademies.org/articles/the-root-of-ageing-lies-in-telomere-a-review-article-14741.html), if you're curious to read it yourself. 
> 
> Based on what I've learned about them, I'm making up my own conclusions on how these fucking proteins work for the sake of plot. So if any bio-related scientists want to yell at me, understand that I, as a fellow science student, hate myself just as much.

Two hours. 

That’s all the time Silver has left before he’s forced to head back to the future. 

It’s cruel that time would allow itself to flow so much faster when he’s with Shadow and yet seem to pause itself at the exact same time. 

Shadow at the very least has been spending these last twenty hours by Silver’s side, even going as far as sleeping over despite Sonic’s relentless teasing, but Silver still can’t shake the anxiety boiling in his chest. 

Two hundred years is a long time, and despite Shadow proclaiming his love for him time and time again, Silver fears that that love will fade with his absence over the next two centuries. Hell, the whole reason he came back was because Shadow had challenged him to befriend his past self, and he’d been very cold towards Silver throughout their entire interaction. So how couldn’t Silver be scared?

Letting out a sigh, Silver shakes his head before continuing to pack his things into the satchel Tails gave him. Speaking of Tails, Shadow’s currently occupied with him downstairs in the workshop, though what for is a mystery to Silver. 

A knock on his door frame manages to snap Silver out of his thoughts, and he looks up to see Sonic leaning up against the bedroom wall.

Sonic flashes him a smile before approaching. 

“You look pretty bummed out for someone whose boyfriend hasn’t left their side since yesterday morning. Well, and right now, but that’s besides the point I’m trying to make,” Sonic says. “What’s on your mind, bud?”

Silver quickly closes up his satchel and throws it over his shoulder before turning around to face Sonic directly, unconsciously fiddling with the satchel’s strap. 

“It’s… nothing too important. I’m probably just overthinking everything-”

“If it were nothing too important, then why are you so visibly distressed?” Sonic asks, effectively shutting Silver up. “Hey, it’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it with me, but do talk to someone about it before you head home. Especially if it has to do with Shadow, which I know it does.” 

Silver doesn’t respond. Instead, he simply watches Sonic leave the room through his peripheral, and once he’s alone, he runs his hands down his face and lets out a groan. As much as he hates to admit it, Sonic has a point. He really shouldn’t keep his worries to himself, especially now that he has someone to confide them to. 

Taking in a deep breath, Silver fastens his satchel’s strap before heading downstairs, ignoring Sonic in the living room and heading straight for Tails’ workshop. 

He enters without the courtesy of knocking, and he’s just in time to stumble across Tails removing a needle from Shadow’s arm, and all three of them freeze. 

“Um… Am I interrupting something important?” Silver rubs his arm as he flickers his gaze between the two, and Tails very awkwardly tries to put away his medical supplies without much fuss, but to no avail. 

Shadow, on the other hand, lets out a defeated sigh while Tails quickly wraps up his arm. 

“I was meaning to surprise you with this once you returned to the future, but I guess I have no choice but to tell you now.” 

“Tell me what?” Silver tightens his grip on his satchel’s strap, his heart rate suddenly spiking. “Y-You’re not… breaking up with me, are you?”

“What? No, of course not,” Shadow says in bewilderment. “Why would you say something like that?”

“W-Well… it’s just… just t-that…” Silver cracks his knuckles nervously while averting his gaze. “I was-”

“Silver.” 

Silver looks back up and flinches at the sudden appearance of Shadow in front of him, and Shadow’s expression softens. 

“What I’m doing is because I plan to never leave you, not the other way around.” Shadow gestures back to Tails before taking hold of Silver’s hand. “I've been working with Tails for these past few days to find a way to eliminate my immortality. Once Tails finds a solution, he’ll give me the report on how to replicate the procedure, and I’d hold onto it until we reunite in the future.” 

“You’re doing what? Wait, no, you can’t do that- I mean… What if you don’t even like me anymore. What if within the next two centuries you’ll find someone else better than me. What if-”

“Silver.” Shadow places his free hand on Silver’s shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “You need to slow down and breathe.” 

Silver takes in a hitched breath before nodding and allowing Shadow to guide him to a nearby stool. Once seated, Silver takes in a few deep breaths to calm himself down, all the while Shadow holds his hand. 

“I can tell you have something weighing heavily on your mind right now.”

Letting out a deep sigh, Silver combs his free hand through his quills before looking back up at Shadow with concern dulling his golden eyes. 

“It’s just… I’m scared, Shadow. Two hundred years is a long time. How can you be sure you’ll even still like me when I return? You'll have gone through so much without me, and I know you'll change with the passage of time. And I'm scared that you'll change into someone who's fallen out of love with me." 

Shadow stays quiet for a bit, processing Silver’s words meticulously. Finally, he lets out a soft chuckle before caressing the side of Silver’s face, smiling crookedly.

“It’s been over half a century, and no matter how hard I try, I can never let go of the love I had for Maria. I love her as much today as I did back then, and I know it’ll be no different with you, Silver. I’ve never felt the way I do with you with anyone before, and if you think that’s going to change, then you really are oblivious as hell.”

Silver tries to feign annoyance with Shadow’s final statement, but he can’t keep a straight face with how his boyfriend is staring at him. Flustered, Silver curses under his breath before standing up and hugging Shadow tightly, with the latter returning the gesture just as strongly. 

When they pull apart, Silver suddenly remembers one last concern he has. 

“Wait… so if the Shadow I met in the future is really just you, my boyfriend, then why the hell were you being so reclusive?”

“Well, you needed to come to the past to romance me, right? I can’t think of a better way of getting you back here than by challenging you to do so.” 

Silver stares at Shadow completely dumbfounded, hands pressed together in front of his face. 

“Are you telling me that the entire reason we’re together is because I unintentionally created a casual loop?”

“Well, the thing about casual loops is that they’re paradoxes, so technically speaking, either you or I in the future can both be the origins of the loop.”

The two stare at each other before allowing themselves to laugh at the obscurity of the whole scenario. Once their laughter simmers down, Silver takes a hold of both of Shadow’s hands, rubbing his thumbs over the back of his hands. 

“Are you sure you want to go through with all of this? I mean, you’re essentially giving up your life for me,” Silver whispers. 

“I would have done the same for Maria if she was still alive,” Shadow confesses. “Immortality isn’t a blessing, Silver, it’s a curse. Even if Maria hadn’t been killed back on the Ark, she would have still died someday, and I would have been forced to go through the same heartbreak. That’s why I’m still terrified of being close to people; I’m going to lose Rouge eventually, Omega is going to be decommissioned within the next century or so, and every single person we both know will be gone. And all I’ll have left is you, Silver. And if there’s one person I don’t want to outlive, it’s you.” 

Tears pool up in Silver’s eyes as he tries his best to keep himself from sobbing uncontrollably. 

“It’s isn’t fair you have a better way with words than I do,” Silver croaks while wiping away his tears. 

“Don’t sell yourself short; you’ve managed to make me cry just as often, so it was only a matter of time I switched up the roles.” Shadow flashes a smile before cupping Silver’s face and pressing a kiss to his forehead, making Silver’s face redden even further. 

But their moment is abruptly ruined when Tails clears his throat awkwardly to get the two lover’s attention. 

“So… um…” Tails shows off his tablet before approaching the two. “I actually managed to type up a procedure while you two were… talking, though I’m still going to need to test it on the samples of Shadow’s blood I extracted earlier to confirm my hypothesis.” 

Silver is quick to put some distance between himself and Shadow, internally horrified that he forgot that Tails was still in the room.

“O-Oh yeah… Um… Actually, do you think you can explain to me how your plan is supposed to work?” Silver asks, hoping to ease the awkward tension in the air. 

Tails’ eyes light up with Silver’s request, and a goofy grin stretches across his face. 

“I rarely ever have people ask me to explain things for them, so I’d love to! First off, do you know anything about chromosomes?”

“I’ve… heard of them,” Silver says, waving his hand in a so-so manner. “What about you, Shadow?”

“Chromosomes are basically compacted DNA, and they’re found in the nuclei of all cells.” 

“Exactly!” Tails pulls up an image of a chromosome on his tablet and shows it off to Silver. “So, there’s this specific part of a chromosome known as a telomere, and they’re found at the ends of the chromosome. Telomeres basically work like a cap on top of an organism’s chromosomes to keep all that DNA compressed into their signature X shape. With normal organisms, telomeres start wearing down over time due to cell division, and eventually they wear down to the point of nearly unraveling the DNA. At this point, a cell can’t replicate properly anymore and it’ll die off. Shorter telomeres have been associated with aging and death, though the exact correlation is still being studied.” 

“What does this have to do with Shadow’s immortality?”

“I’m glad you asked.” Tails pulls up another image with a rather complicated flow chart of images, and Silver is left baffled. “Shadow’s cells contain a protein known as telomerase that repairs the telomeres at the ends of his chromosomes. All immortal beings have this protein, and it prevents them from aging like a regular organism. There’s some side effects with the telomerase protein, namely cancer being a concern in the long run, but luckily the origins of Shadow’s immortal DNA doesn’t have any of those negatives.”

“It is because it came from that alien you mentioned before?” Silver looks over at Shadow, who crosses his arms and looks away. 

“Most likely,” is all he says before turning his attention to Tails. “So if this telomerase protein is directly correlated to my immortality, how are you going to get rid of it?”

“What I can do is use a viral vector with a modified CRISPR-Cas9 with instructions to completely eradicate said protein from your DNA. It might be a bit more complicated because of Black Doom’s DNA, though, so I’ll also have to account for erasing the remnants of his DNA as well. But with the telomerase gone, you’ll theoretically become mortal. All I have to do is test this on the blood samples I extracted from you earlier, and within the next few weeks or so I’ll hopefully have a full report for you to keep. Speaking of which, I need to add getting rid of Black Doom's DNA to the procedure real quick before I forget to do so.” 

Tails wanders off while typing on his tablet, and Silver looks over at Shadow with confusion written all over his features. 

"I get a bit intimidated by the fact a literal child knows more about science and technology than I'll ever understand in my entire life." 

"You're not alone with that sentiment,” Shadow says. “So… Have you finished saying your goodbyes to everyone?”

“Pretty much. I just need to thank Sonic and Tails properly for letting me crash at their place for so long, and then I’ll be mostly ready to leave.” Silver fiddles with the strap of his satchel anxiously as he looks up at Shadow. “Though I’ll admit, it kind of sucks that you’ll have to wait over two centuries to see me again.” 

Shadow opens his mouth to respond, but another voice beats him to speaking up.

“Actually, if you want Silver, you can time hop to meet up with Shadow along the way. You’d just have to take fifty year intervals in between each hop to prevent any time paradoxes from forming, and you can spend around three months of time with each meeting.” 

The two turn around to find Sonic leaning against Tails’ workbench, twirling a test tube in between his fingers. Sonic smirks once he’s gotten their attention, and he casually sets down the test tube before turning to face them. 

“What the hell do you know about time paradoxes and the lot?” Shadow snaps, and Sonic casually holds up his hands in defense. 

“More than you’d probably believe I know,” he says while walking over to Silver. “So, how’s that sound to you, Sil?”

“That sounds wonderful. And… Thanks for being such a good host to me, Sonic.” 

“Hey, anything for the person who managed to win over my best frenemy's heart.” Sonic opens his arms, and Silver is quick to give him one last hug. Before pulling away, he whispers one last thing in Silver’s ear. “Take care of each other, Silver.” 

“I will. Keep an eye on Shadow for me.”

“Will do.” 

The two friends pull away, and Sonic gives Shadow a curt nod before snapping his fingers to grab Tails’ attention. 

“By the way, I think I broke the toaster again.”

“Ugh, this is the third time this week, Sonic!” Tails groans as he sets down his tablet, though he quickly runs over to Silver to give him a hug as well. “It was fun having you back here again, Silver. Just make sure that if you choose to time hop, it has to be exactly more than fifty years, no earlier.”

“I’ll make sure of it. Thanks for everything once again.”

“Hey, it’s what friends are for.”

Once Silver lets go of Tails, the latter leaves with Sonic, leaving Silver alone with Shadow in the workshop. Letting out a sigh, Silver looks back over at Shadow, who’s already holding a Chaos Emerald in his hand. 

“Are you ready?”

“I’ll never be ready to leave you behind, but sure,” Silver laments while pulling out his own Chaos Emerald. 

The two execute Chaos Control without needing to say a single word to each other, though once the portal to the future opens up, Silver feels his heart jump into his throat. 

"Fifty years is definitely shorter than two hundred, but it’s still an objectively long time." Silver tightens his grip on his satchel’s strap, and he suddenly feels Shadow slip his hand into his own free hand.

“Everything is going to be alright, Silver.” 

“I know. It’s honestly just nerves at this point.” 

“Well… Then I think I might have something that’ll help calm you down.” 

Silver turns to face Shadow, whose face has suddenly darkened with a green blush. But before he can say anything, Shadow suddenly cups his face and pulls him forward, and the next thing Silver knows, their lips meet. 

Silver knows what it’s like flying too close to the sun; the scalding and blazing sensation he’s experienced while courting Shadow is the closest he’s gotten to feeling fire singe his heart. But now, with Shadow’s soft lips pressed against his own, he’s finally experiencing the gentle warmth he’s been so desperately seeking in his future. No longer does it feel like a blaze is ripping through his body, but instead, it feels like delicate embers are caressing his body, and he wraps his arms around Shadow, deepening the kiss and adding fuel to these embers.

When they finally pull apart, Silver is left flushed and dazed, and he can feel heartbeat pulsing throughout his entire body. And it doesn’t help that Shadow is also panting lightly, and the sound sends shivers down Silver’s spine. 

“Feeling better?” Shadow asks, his voice hoarse. 

“Never been better,” Silver responds, a ditzy smile gracing his lips. He presses his forehead against Shadow’s, and the two stay like this for a while, soaking in each other's warmth. 

After what feels like an eternity, Shadow finally lets out a sigh and pulls away from Silver, smiling solemnly. 

“I’ll see you on the other side, Silver.”

Silver mirrors his expression, and he steals one last kiss before turning back to the open portal, his heart racing inside his chest. Taking in a shaky deep breath, Silver closes his eyes as he enters the portal, allowing himself to disappear in a flash of light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is only my second time ever writing a kiss scene, and I only cringed for about 12 hours after writing it. Far better than the first time where I spent an entire week agonizing over writing the scene. 
> 
> This is what I get for being an aromantic lover of romance. 
> 
> Now, if you need me, I'm going to be in a dark corner somewhere reading a horror novel to repair what's left of my damaged pride.


End file.
